<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>symbiosis by valdera</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25771963">symbiosis</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/valdera/pseuds/valdera'>valdera</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Magic, Dysfunctional Family, FOUND FAMILY i cannot stress this enough FOUND FAMILY, Gen, also greed is in his og body, the magic system was originally based off of bakugan so take that as you will, written for fmabb 2020!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:36:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>42,050</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25771963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/valdera/pseuds/valdera</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After failing his first year at the prestigious Amestris Magic Academy, Greed had planned to never return. Through a miracle (his father’s money and influence), he begins his second year of school, planning to keep his head down and get out. But in the beginning of the year, when each mage-in-training completes the ritual to summon their familiar, instead of an ordinary creature, Greed accidentally summons Ling, a human from the faraway country of Xing. Ling is mysterious, annoying, and infuriatingly better at magic, but as a conspiracy centered around Amestris Magic Academy and Greed’s father begins to unravel beneath their feet, they must learn to work together before it’s too late. </p><p>...</p><p>He stares at the stranger in front of him, the same one who’d pulled a sword on him at first sight. His hair is pulled back into a low ponytail, and he’s dressed in a plain set of clothes. He looks, in Greed’s unkind opinion, kind of like an asshole. There’s no way that this person can be older than Greed. There’s also no way that this person can be any type of magical creature. No, this stranger—his <i>familiar</i>, Greed realizes with growing hysteria—is a plain, ordinary human.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Greed &amp; Ling Yao</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Greed rolls his eyes on instinct. Father’s eyes flash at him, and Greed forces down the bile rising in his throat. “Sure,” he says, paying careful attention to the floor. There’s not a single speck of dirt. “I’ll try not to let the family down.”</p><p>“Do not simply try,” Father says. “You <i>will.</i> That is the only thing you can do. There is no other option.”</p><p>“Destiny and I are taking a bit of a break,” Greed says, refusing to meet his eyes. “Can’t really promise any absolutes, here.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hello everyone! this is my piece for the fullmetal alchemist big bang!! very excited to share this all with you. now, without further ado, here it is!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone in their life has a purpose. A destined calling that leads them to greatness. Each human is born with an innate talent, an irreplaceable soul, and an inevitable end.  </p><p>Right now, Greed’s destiny is leading him to the sewers under Central. </p><p>He wrinkles his nose as soon as they enter the tunnels. “Remind me why we’re here again?” </p><p>Martel pulls her jacket close around her, as if that will somehow ward away the pungent smell. “Have to say I’m with Greed on this. We have a perfectly serviceable pub.”</p><p>“A pub that is linked to the sewer system,” Roa repeats, like he’s said for the thousandth time. “It could be dangerous. So we’re just scouting things out. We don’t want to get caught unawares.” </p><p>“Well yeah,” Martel says with a sigh. “No one likes us.” </p><p>It’s a harsh statement, but it’s true. Roa and Martel are from Dublith, and they’d only moved to Central a year ago. Greed had started running away from his house when he was 16—a process which Father had diplomatically called ‘extended vacations’—and upon entering Dublith, he’d stumbled into a magical cult while trying to shop for souvenirs. There’s being unlucky, and there’s being so disastrously unfortunate that if anything bad can happen, it will, and Greed falls into the second category. </p><p>Of course, being raised under the watchful eye of the greatest mage in this century has quite a few benefits, and Greed had managed to instigate a riot within the cult. He’s always known his way around in a fight, and physical combat is his personal forte. Being rich and famous also means that people think twice before really messing with you. And Greed has always been good at starting shit. </p><p>Martel had been only 17 at the time. Her, Roa, Dolcetto, and Bido had formed a small, close-knit group in Dublith. They’d all fallen into the same magical cult when they were young, and some of the higher-ups had had a particular affinity for magical experimentation. </p><p>It’s the reason why Dolcetto isn't here today. He’s been permanently altered to have some of the traits of a dog, and his heightened sense of smell would make this place a living hell for him. Bido had been fused with a gecko, and they’d gotten to him a lot younger than the others, so he tends to be a lot more jumpy and averse to fighting that the rest, and he’d opted out of checking out the sewers. </p><p>Instead, the two of them are handling the operations above ground at the Devil’s Nest, a pub in the seedy part of Central. Being a chimera gets questions everywhere else—people will ask why Martel has a forked tongue, or why Roa grows horns when he gets worked up. </p><p>Greed is their first—and sometimes only—patron. The types of people who usually frequent the district the Devil’s Nest is located in aren’t usually fond of mysterious outsiders. And it’s not a stretch to say that Greed’s face is… recognizable. He attracts the wrong kind of attention. </p><p>Father is the most prominent mage in Amestris, and his manor is a familiar fixture on the outskirts of Central, as is the almost godlike reverence that some mages have for him. While he’d never married, he’d adopted 7 abandoned children at their youth—and Greed is his second-oldest child. He remembers growing up with the nagging sense that he was supposed to do something, be something as great and powerful as Father, but right now, he’s taken to running away from that house as much as he can. It’s not that Greed doesn’t have any ambitions for greatness. He just doesn't have the same extreme dedication that his six siblings seem to have in spades. </p><p>Destiny is a powerful, powerful thing. That’s what Father has been telling him for as long as he can remember. His siblings seem to understand it well. Each of them has a set of personal skills they hone to perfection. Greed has nothing like that. Growing up in that house had meant carrying that unbearable pressure day by day and showing nothing for it. So he’d started running, and never stopped. Father calls him back to the manor every now and then, but he’s less involved in whatever Greed gets himself into. It’s not the perfect existence, but at least it finally feels like he can breathe.  </p><p>“Why are <em>you </em>here?” Martel asks, pulling him out of his thoughts. “I mean, I know you came to play cards… but we’re not playing cards anymore. Obviously.” She laughs. “Nothing better to do?”</p><p>She’s right. He really doesn’t have anything better to do. Instead of admitting that, he says, “Wrath’s a bastard, that’s why,” Greed says. “He plays chess and never anything fun. You can never have any fun at my house.” </p><p>Martel snorts. “I don’t think I’ll ever be invited.”</p><p>Roa glances around the sewers, keeping track of the turns they’ve made. They haven’t run into anything yet, so he relaxes a little and says, “No, probably not. I think that house is full of rich, pretentious assholes.”</p><p>Greed waits for Roa to add that Greed is not one of those assholes, but Roa doesn’t add anything. Maybe it’s an implied thing. “Yeah,” he says, “they never let me play poker.”</p><p>“To be fair, you’re terrible at poker,” Martel says. “You don’t know how to lie.”</p><p>Greed scowls. “I could lie if I wanted to.”</p><p>“You make horrible bets, too,” Roa adds. “All or nothing even when you don’t have a good hand. That’s why you lose every time.” He smiles. “I mean, thanks for funding the Devil’s Nest with your pocket money, boss.” </p><p>Roa is 5 years older than him, and he’s also tall and well-built—probably because he works out, probably also because he’d been fused with an ox—so every time he calls him boss, it sounds like a joke. It’s not a joke, though. Dolcetto is probably the one who takes the “boss” thing most seriously, but even when Roa or the others say it, there’s always a striking sincerity to it. </p><p>“Yeah, whatever,” he says, and the three of them settle into a quiet sort of peace. It’s strange. He hadn’t meant to discover a trapdoor in the storage closet this morning, but he’d stumbled into a shelf while digging through it and tripped his way into it. Keeping a secret passageway to the sewers has some troubling implications for the past owners of this place, who had mysteriously disappeared a few weeks before they’d bought the establishment. It had come cheap, but not without consequences. They’ve inherited a lot of bad blood, but with Bido’s sharp senses on lookout, and Roa’s physical strength, the Devil’s Nest is doing as well as it can. Still, he feels like they should have run into something by now. If anything, the only strange part of this section of the sewer system is how relatively clean it is. </p><p>“Well, I’m not going to be here next week,” Greed finally says, breaking the silence, “so have fun without me, or whatever.” </p><p>“What? Why?” Martel turns on him with a frown. “Getting locked up?”</p><p>He shrugs. “Going back to school.”</p><p>Roa looks at him with a puzzled expression. “I thought you had quit.”</p><p>“No, he failed his first year,” Martel replies. “Apparently he’s the worst student the prestigious Amestris Magic Academy has had in years.” She says <em>Amestris Magic Academy</em> like it’s some type of curse. That doesn’t stop the obvious glee in her voice when she talks about Greed lack of talent in magic, though. </p><p>“Right,” Roa says. “So why are you going back?”</p><p>He sighs. “Father was… very insistent that I come back for my second year. I don’t know exactly how they did it, but…”</p><p>“He’s on the board of directors there, right?” Roa says. “Probably a mix of bribery and just knowing the headmaster well, then.” </p><p>“He’s not just on their board,” Greed groans. “He’s their favorite alum. They have a statue of him by the front gates.” </p><p>Martel makes a gagging noise. “That’s a whole new level of egotistical. Seriously, why aren’t you skipping out? You already took lessons for normal subjects. Not like you need to go to school.” </p><p>He shrugs. “I don’t mind the magic itself. I can learn the theory behind it just fine. I just can’t… actually do the magic part. It’s a pretty rare skill to have, you know? Because not many people teach it.”</p><p>“Still,” Martel says, “surely you could run away. You’ve been pretty good at it, so far.” </p><p>“Well, I have to figure out how to hide this, first,” Greed says, pointing to the ouroboros tattoo on his left hand. “Can never stray too far, with this.” </p><p>Roa frowns. “It’s just a tattoo.” </p><p>“It’s a tattoo that <em>only </em>me and my siblings have,” Greed emphasizes. “I can’t get too far with this on my hand.” He frowns. “Even when I try to cover it up, people find me.”</p><p>“Doesn’t that seem… I don’t know, weird?” Martel asks. “Tattooing your children with an instantly recognizable tattoo?”</p><p>“Well, yeah,” he says. “Father is incredibly weird. That’s why I have to go to this school. Even if I didn’t want to do it, I…” </p><p>He trails off. Roa has stopped in his tracks, peering at the shadowy tunnel ahead. </p><p>“You can smell it, right?” he asks, and Martel nods. </p><p>Greed squints at the shifting dark. He can’t see anything.</p><p>“There,” Martel says, and drops into a low crouch. She flicks her eyes over the water on their left, and Greed watches as a shambling, bloody mess emerges from the depths. They might be trying to say words, but there’s just a horrid, incessant scream that dips up and down in tone. </p><p>“Holy shit,” Greed says. “What the fuck.” </p><p>“Does it—are they okay?” Martel says, drawing her knife. “I mean, what even is that?”</p><p>“We wait for it to approach,” Roa decides.</p><p>The thing in front of them is vaguely humanoid, but with gray skin and large scarlet eyes. Greed glances at the tense expressions on Roa and Martel’s faces. </p><p>It’s not a chimera. Of course, it’s not a chimera. Chimeras usually look a lot different. But if it’s close enough to look human then that reeks of magical experimentation, which is something that no one from Dublith is comfortable with. </p><p>It swivels its head to face them. Its legs are a shifting mass of limbs, and they drag slowly over to where the three of them stand. </p><p>Martel makes a low, hissing sound. The creature keeps moving towards them.</p><p>Greed stares at it. That screaming noise burns into his skin, surrounding him like a thunderstorm. The low, growly tone rumbles and rises higher in pitch and intensity, shrieking like a thing desperate and close to death. The echoes of its cry rattle in his skin, an unbearable type of pain that makes his head muddled and aching. Greed has seen a lot of things in his travels, but he’s never seen something like this. There’s this way it looks at him which makes him feel like he should know what’s going on. That he <em>does </em>know what’s going on. </p><p>Of course, Greed knows nothing. </p><p>That scream grows louder and more earsplitting, so loud that Greed can’t hear anything but it echoing around the tunnels, so loud that even his vision is captivated by it, bleeding into hazy spots of color. </p><p>“Something’s behind us,” Roa says, and Greed spins around, switchblade thrust out, and—</p><p>Wrath effortlessly grabs his wrist and flips him onto the floor. “Greed,” he says, like the name is poison. “I see that you and your… gang are here.”</p><p>Greed groans from his position on the ground. “What the fuck are you doing here?” </p><p>Somehow, Wrath hears him over the noise. He steps over Greed’s body, pushing Roa and Martel to the side. “Father requested I put my skills to use. Apparently there had been some monster patrolling the sewers. Looks like I found it.” He frowns. “I can’t imagine what you’re getting up to down here, though. Nothing with any good intentions, I assume.”</p><p>“Yeah, well you know me—” Greed says, and before he can finish his sentence, Wrath has drawn his sword and sliced the creature in two. </p><p>He sheathes his sword with a terrifying level of precision. “Now,” he says, pointing to Greed, “I can kill two birds with one stone.”</p><p>Martel and Roa crouch next to Greed. He pulls himself up to a sitting position. “Seriously, what problem do you have with me?”</p><p>“You’re incompetent,” Wrath says, and then after a pause: “Father stressed how important it was that you attend our family dinner tonight. He requested that I drag you out of whatever hellhole you were hiding in, and bring you back.” </p><p>“Well, you found me,” Greed says, standing up. “Let’s get back home, shall we?” </p><p>Wrath nods, and points to the direction he’d come from. “Follow me.”</p><p>Before he leaves, he glances back at Roa and Martel. Roa looks resigned, but Martel is furiously making a series of hand signals and mouthing words that mostly sum up to <em>what’s going on?</em> </p><p>All Greed can do is shrug. <em>I’ll write</em>, he mouths, and then raises his hand in a wave. </p><p>Roa and Martel both look like they have more to say, but they just both nod, faces set in grim determination. </p><p>“So, what’s so important about this family dinner that he’s requiring my presence?” Greed asks, jogging a little to catch up with Wrath’s pace. He’s wearing an eyepatch, and it makes his expressions even harder to read than usual. Of course, that only applies to any type of vulnerable expressions. Wrath can express six different levels of contempt with the raise of one eyebrow. He’s horrible like that.</p><p>Wrath’s hand stays firmly on the handle of his sword. “He didn’t say.” </p><p>“Of course,” Greed sighs. “Always so mysterious, dear old dad.”</p><p>“He didn’t say whether I needed to bring you back in one piece or not, either,” Wrath adds. “And I’m sure he won’t like that you’ve been hanging out with… <em>them </em>again.”</p><p>“Yeah? Well, he can’t stop me,” Greed says. </p><p>In his heart, he knows it’s not true. When Father wants something, he will stop short of nothing to get it. It’s the real reason why Greed can’t quit Amestris Magic Academy. After he’d returned to the house for winter break, Father had called him in for a private meeting and said that he would be required to keep up his studies in the academy, no matter what complications could arise. </p><p>Greed had laughed and asked if losing his limbs would be enough of a complication to let him quit, and Father had looked at him dead in the eyes and told him no, it wouldn’t. </p><p>As much misfortune Greed wanders into, he thinks the greatest mistake of his life has been being Father’s son.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The family manor sits at the center of a large, sprawling estate filled with lush, green fields. It and Amestris Magic Academy are the two spots in Central where nature flourishes in abundance. Greed maintains that this fact is why he cannot stand the scent of flowers. There’s a dingy park in Central, but of course it can’t compare the wrought iron gates of the Academy, or the brilliantly trimmed hedge that towers around Father’s estate. Of course, nothing can compare. Those two pieces of land encompass all the magical talent within the city, and the wards around their walls are terrifying enough to scare the worst criminal.</p><p>Truthfully, it is the worst place Greed has encountered in his whole life. Of course, he hasn't lived very long, but he's been traveling for a large part of it, and he has never in his life encountered another place so revolting and ostentatious. The manor seems simple and stately from the outside, and the gardens are well tended to, but a clean, pristine house cannot mask the sheer contempt that exudes from Father’s very being. After all, this is not the family manor. This is Father’s manor, and it embodies everything he righteously stands for.</p><p>Greed drags his feet as he steps into the house, probably tracking mud onto its pristine white floors. Wrath simply stares at him, looking quite like he wants to unsheathe his sword again and drive it straight through Greed’s stomach.</p><p>He figures that he’s losing any goodwill he might have previously incurred in his entire life, and Greed isn’t too keen to keep on rocking the boat. There’s plenty of time for that in school, after all.</p><p>As always, the main hall is eerily quiet, devoid of even servants. Greed’s sure they’re around <em>somewhere</em>, just… never where he is. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, he’ll probably never know.</p><p>Wrath has a steady grip on the hilt of the sword, like he’s expecting Greed to run.</p><p>It’s not an incorrect assumption. Greed avoids family dinners with more intensity than he avoids death. Of course, he’s never been good at doing either, having had more near-death experiences in a year than most would have in their entire lives, and having attended almost every single mandatory family dinner Father has called over the years.</p><p>Sitting down at a family dinner, however, is a far worse experience than being stabbed in the gut or being mildly electrocuted. He’s been hurt and maimed in a lot of creative ways over the years, but nothing holds a candle to Father’s large, commanding, almost monstrous presence at the head of the table. There’s never a moment where Greed feels like he isn’t under Father’s watchful, stranglehold gaze, and never a moment where the food he’s eating enters his mouth and registers as something that’s not bland and tasteless. They’ve gotten better over the years—Greed slouches and picks away at his plate, and a few of his siblings adopt more casual posture, but nothing has really changed. Nothing about this place ever really does.</p><p>“My children,” Father says, spreading his hands wide.</p><p>Greed straightens up. His eyes dart around the table, trying to gauge his siblings’ expressions.</p><p>“Sloth,” Father says, and his eldest son stands up, snapping to attention with an uncharacteristic quickness. Father smiles at this, pleased. “How have you been making use of your summer?” It’s only a formality. Of course Father knows what he’s been up to. There’s nothing he doesn’t know. The only reason this is happening at all is some fucked up competition towards perfection.</p><p>“I… have been working in the underground,” Sloth says, the words pulled out of him like molasses. “There is a miner’s town towards the west. I have handled… administrative work. And I have done some digging, myself.”</p><p>“Advancement of your specialization, I presume?” Father asks, and Sloth nods. Greed covers up his snort with a badly-faked cough. Specialization. No one in their right minds should be focusing on specialization. Sloth may be a year ahead of the rest of them in Amestris Magic Academy, but Greed knows for a fact that no one picks their specialization until the end of their 3rd year, and often not even until the beginning of their 4th. Even if students show a certain affinity for one element, trying to rush ahead to 4th year curriculum is ridiculous. But Father has always been crazy about magic, and that intensity, like the man himself, bleeds into the rest of them.</p><p>“Greed,” Father calls next, and he sighs, swallowing the last of his bland, bland food. He stands up with a lazy stretch and smirks at Envy, who looks positively furious at his appearance. They hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms, the last time the two of them had talked.</p><p>“Hey,” he says. “What’s up?”</p><p>Father, unlike Wrath, is better at hiding such obvious disgust. Rather than disgust or any visible contempt, he just looks over Greed with a disquieting stare. “Please, Greed,” he says, in a tone that indicates he is very clearly not begging him. “Do enlighten us as to how your summer has been.”</p><p>Greed tilts his head, pretending to be deep and thought. He smiles and says, “I went sewer crawling.”</p><p>“And?”</p><p>“And what?” Greed says. He knocks the side of his head. “Not much else.”</p><p>Envy stands up, eyes burning in fury. “Father!” they yell. “I know what else he did. He’s been running around Central City with those filthy—”</p><p>“Envy.” Father has raised his voice. “Sit down.”</p><p>Envy slumps back down into his chair.</p><p>Greed smirks at him and begins to sit down.</p><p>“I am not finished,” Father says, staring at him. Greed freezes, and after a moment or two of shaky silence, straightens back up. “Classes begin at Amestris Magic Academy next week.”</p><p>“I’m aware,” Greed answers. “And?” </p><p>Father smiles. It’s an ugly look on him. “It is my pleasure to announce that the Academy has made a special exception for Pride, and he will be entering the Academy this year. As you all know, while Amestris Magic Academy has no upper limit for what age their students enroll, they have set a minimum age of 15. Pride will be entering 2 years early.”</p><p>Greed shrugs. “Great. Our boy genius is entering. What does that have to do with me?”</p><p>Father’s smile turns sharp. Despite his announcement, he hasn’t so much as looked at Pride, who seems disgruntled at the fact. Instead, he’s been staring at Greed the whole time. He hasn’t even blinked. It’s frightening.</p><p>“I know you encountered… troubles, last year,” Father says. <em>Troubles</em> is a much nicer way of saying failed every single one of your classes that required practical magic skills, which is to say, every class but Magical History and Weapons. “I would appreciate it if such an incident… did not occur this year. This year is very important, you see. For all of us.”</p><p>Greed rolls his eyes on instinct. Father’s eyes flash at him, and Greed forces down the bile rising in his throat. “Sure,” he says, paying careful attention to the floor. There’s not a single speck of dirt. “I’ll try not to let the family down.”</p><p>“Do not simply try,” Father says. “You <em>will</em>. That is the only thing you can do. There is no other option.”</p><p>“Destiny and I are taking a bit of a break,” Greed says, refusing to meet his eyes. “Can’t really promise any absolutes, here.”</p><p>Father sighs. “No, I suppose not,” he says. “But do not disappoint me.”</p><p>Greed doesn’t really have the energy to say any more. He nods, and tries not to look too relieved when Father finally allows him to sit.</p><p>His appetite ruined beyond repair, Greed stares at the light from above as it reflects off his polished silverware. Dimly, he registers the rest of his siblings standing up and reporting what they’ve done over the summer. It’s not like it's anything important, anyways. He already has a good idea of what the rest of them have done. Wrath has slain monsters and mastered a new weapon. Gluttony has been in pursuit of some rare ingredients that will probably taste as dead and dusty as everything else. Lust is managing the accounts of a business Father has a stake in. Envy is learning a new language through Father’s extensive library. Pride has won 1<sup>st</sup> at a horse show and most likely went through the entire 1<sup>st</sup> year curriculum of Amestris Magic Academy in preparation for his enrollment.</p><p>He doesn’t understand how living like this comes so easily to the rest of them. It’s like they have this predetermined path rolled out like a red carpet in front of them. As if they’re on constant call with destiny and can tell it <em>no, make a left here, this is what I’m going to d</em>o.</p><p>It shouldn’t matter to him. Greed is fine living aimlessly. He’s always been fine, and he’ll probably wander around for the rest of his life in this weird state of being fine. The way things are looking, he’ll probably fail his classes again this year, Father will finally give up on him, and they’ll resume their fun game of cat-and-mouse in which Greed gets closer and closer to leaving the country, until something snaps and one of them ends up dead. Things will probably be fine.</p><p>“Sloth,” Father says, pulling Greed out of his thoughts. “Greed. Wrath. Gluttony. Lust. Envy. Pride. You all know why you have your names, right?”</p><p>“Yes,” all of them chorus, even Greed. His siblings are all nightmares, and he hates every single one of them, but every single one of them has grown up in this manor since they were born, never knowing their true parentage. And every single one of them has heard these words from Father, as burned into their mind as the tattoo they wear. Greed may be the oddball among them, but he’s still one of them. </p><p>“The seven deadly sins,” Father continues. “Each represents a fatal flaw of humanity. I name you with these sins as a reminder of what we strive to. And what is that?”</p><p>“Perfection.” Greed spits the words out. The rest of them are calm and resigned when they say it.</p><p>“Perfection,” Father agrees with a small nod. “Humans are flawed, incomplete beings. It is our higher purpose to become as close to perfection as we can. It is why we worship gods so dearly. They are what we always wish to become. Is that clear?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>Father finally, finally, rises from his chair. “You all are dismissed,” he says, and Greed doesn’t need to be told twice.</p><p>He grabs his coat and flees. He may not be able to run for all that long, but he’ll run for the time he has left.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i'll be posting the first 12k today, and then updates will be coming around frequently after that! as of now, updates will be rolling out with ~2 chapters posted each week! make sure to check out the other big bang pieces on tumblr @fmabigbangs!</p><p>a big thanks to my beta, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/uraa/pseuds/uraa">uraa</a> for supporting me throughout this work! </p><p>find me on tumblr @ sonnets-of-beauty </p><p>i'm like super inactive but i do respond to messages!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>When Greed blinks, the light of the summoning circle has faded, and he’s staring down at a disgruntled teenager, eyes closed in concentration and face pulled into a deep frown.</p>
<p>“What,” he says, and before he can finish his sentence, the stranger draws his sword and rushes at Greed.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Greed fiddles with the collar of his jacket, staring up at the wrought-iron gates that mark the entrance of Amestris Magic Academy. There was a sign at the top of the gates, once, Greed knows, a hundred years ago when the academy was first established, but it’s since been removed. Greed only knows this because he’d looked through school records in his first year, wondering if he could find any blackmail or dirt on Father. Unfortunately, all he’d found out is a bunch of useless information about the school’s founding, and the fact that Father was a star student beloved by every piece of this school. It’s disgusting.</p>
<p><em>Memento mori</em> has been the school’s motto ever since its founding. <em>Remember you will die.</em> Greed snorts. There’s no wonder Father is beloved by the academy—for him, death is probably another one of humanity’s fundamental imperfections. He’s edging closer and closer to 100, right now, and Greed waits breathlessly for the day he finally keels over. He knows he doesn’t have a place in Father’s will, but it’s honestly better that way.</p>
<p>Around 70 years ago, when the academy was beginning to establish itself as a prestigious school, the school’s motto had come under fire for its morbidity, and the plaque in which the motto had been engraved was promptly removed from the gates. As far as Greed knows, though, the school has never officially rescinded or changed its motto.  </p>
<p>His siblings have already entered school, and are probably stunning the teachers with the very way they breathe. Greed tucks his hands into the pockets of his jacket, and strolls in.</p>
<p>To his left are the training grounds, a wide swath of open field that holds some of the only pleasant memories Greed has of this school. There are a few students milling about in front of the doors to the main building, and a few of the professors stand by the steps. He walks forward, trying not to meet anyone’s eyes, but when he comes up to the stairs, he accidentally makes eye contact with the one and only Roy Mustang.</p>
<p>Of course, next to Roy Mustang is Riza Hawkeye, the youngest teacher in Amestris Magic Academy, and also the headmaster’s daughter. There are always whispers about favoritism concerning her, but she had been the assistant to the weapons master last year, and far surpassed him in skill concerning almost every style of fighting. If Greed was held at knifepoint and forced to choose his favorite professor, it would probably be Riza. It’s a little strange that they’re so close in age, but he respects her more than anyone else in this school. Roy is also one of the nicer teachers, though he so often acts like a fool that Greed is never sure if he’s actually as intelligent as his magical capabilities make him look.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Roy and Riza being the most competent teachers in this academy means that they’re the ones who actually remember him, so when he makes eye contact with the two of them, he awkwardly raises his hand in a wave before shuffling into the building.</p>
<p>Riza smiles politely at him. Roy looks like he’s eaten something very sour. Greed thinks it’s perhaps the most positive reaction he’ll get from a teacher this year.</p>
<p>Inside the building, the hallways echo in a cacophony of different voices, discussing the summer, the new school year, and whatever else will delay them from actually entering class. As Greed pushes past, they quiet to confused murmurs. He doesn’t make the same mistake twice, and keeps his eyes firmly trained on the floor in front of him.</p>
<p>Still, while no one approaches him, their whispers echo far enough. <em>Failure. Failure. Only here because of his father’s influence. The deadweight sibling. No magical capabilities. Bribed his way to second year.</em> As bitter as reality is, every single one of them is right. Greed had been banking on his utter embarrassment of his first year to bar him from ever standing on the academy grounds again, but he should know by now that Father is all-powerful. Greed is unsure of what strings he’ll pull to push Greed through his second year, but he’s sure there will be something. Really, Father never ceases to amaze. Things that seem impossible are just minor obstacles to him. </p>
<p>There is no such thing as no such thing. It’s the motto that has driven Greed’s life from day one. Every time he thinks he has the world figured out, the rug gets pulled out from under his feet. At this point, it’s hard to believe in any constant in the world. There’s no piece of certainty in his life except for maybe the fact that things will always be uncertain. Even Father’s oppressive, awe-inspiring presence is not an ever-present constant in his life. If even that shifts once in a blue moon, surely nothing in the world is certain.</p>
<p>He slides into a familiar lecture hall a few minutes before class starts, taking a seat on the far side. In his first year, he’d learned that people avoided him more if he sat in the front, and he doubts moving a year up will change that. Before the professor strolls in, Greed spares a quick glance to those around the room. Wrath is sitting with perfect posture in the center of the room. Greed is lucky he’s on his left. The eyepatch over Wrath’s left eye obscures his peripheral vision somewhat, and it’s going to be harder to glare at him across the room if Greed is on his blind side. Lust and Gluttony are huddled together in the back, talking in low, hushed voices. Greed can’t bother to even try eavesdropping. He’s sure it’s something boring. There’s not much his siblings do that can ever really classify as interesting, anyways.</p>
<p>Far more unlucky is the fact that Envy is sitting two rows behind him. Greed wishes they were on the other side of the room. Envy is the most annoying person Greed has ever had the pleasure of knowing, and Greed has known a lot of people. He’s not sure where Envy gets their giant, unfounded ego from (well, maybe their skill in mastering languages does something for them, but Greed refuses to believe Envy is capable of any type of intelligence), but Envy likes to flaunt their accomplishments in front of every single person they meet. They’re utterly devoted to Father, which all of his siblings are, but they talk about it the most, and that’s unforgivable.</p>
<p>The only sibling Greed might hate more than Envy is Pride. Of course, Pride and Sloth are in different classrooms, so the problem of interacting with them on a daily basis has solved itself.</p>
<p>He’s about to see if he can switch his position to be on the side of Wrath’s good eye, because whatever wrath (ha) he incurs from Wrath is nothing compared to everything that comprises Envy, but before he can even get up from his seat, the Elric brothers skid into the classroom, and Greed locks eyes with the one and only Edward Elric.</p>
<p>Maybe he should invest in an eyepatch like Wrath. Two eyepatches, actually. That way he’ll never have to make eye contact with someone again.</p>
<p>Ed glances around the room, and glances back at Greed, and suddenly Greed feels a chill down his spine. <em>Fuck</em>, he thinks, and then Ed slides into the seat next to his, his brother Al following.</p>
<p>“You’re still here?” Ed asks, with the moral superiority and arrogance of someone who’s only 17 years old can have.</p>
<p>Greed grimaces. “<em>You’re</em> still here?” he parrots back, though of course he is.</p>
<p>Al shrugs. “I’m sure he’s here for a reason,” he says, in a tone that neither suggests insult ornor compliment.</p>
<p>Thankfully, the professor walks in before either of the Elrics can say anything else. Greed breathes a sigh of relief, and then recoils at the idea that he was happy to see a professor.</p>
<p>In a stroke of either luck or misfortune, it’s Roy who walks to the front of the room and speaks. Greed thinks he sees Ed’s eye twitch, and stifles a laugh. Edward Elric is either Roy Mustang’s favorite or least favorite student, and Ed hates both of those options with a fiery passion.</p>
<p>“Alright, alright,” Roy says, clapping until he gets the attention of the class. “Nice to see all of you again. Well, not so nice, but you know how it is. For today, we’re just going to review the curriculum for the year…”</p>
<p>Greed yawns. Roy’s normally an interesting person, but even he can’t be interesting when he’s reading off of a piece of paper. Greed also remembers this first day being unnecessary in the long run, last year. He’d started off slightly interested, had his hopes dashed, and set his first year crashing and burning down a hill with his grades.</p>
<p>He zones out, staring at the wall. There’s no point in putting in the effort to listen.</p>
<p>After all, nothing is going to change.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Once classes have finished, Greed is led, along with the other second-year students, to the dorms. He blinks his eyes awake under the warm sunlight, ignoring the looks of disdain sent his way. So what, he slept through most of his classes. He’s pretty sure most of what they said was written in the papers they handed out, and Greed can read those whenever he wants. Not that he’s actually going to read them, because he works best without preparation, but the point stands.</p>
<p>Someone Greed doesn’t recognize tosses him a pair of keys. “Off you go,” they say, and Greed pushes through a throng of students until he finds his room. The accommodations, of course, aren’t lacking. Amestris Magic Academy admits very few students at all, and so their dorms are as spacious as can be.</p>
<p>He locks the door, kicks his shoes off, and makes his way over to the small window by the bed. There’s a set of characters carved into the side of the wall, meant to prolong whatever wards are on there. Greed steals a look at the grounds below. It looks to be full of chatter, and the dorm hallways are no different. Greed’s pretty sure most of the students hate each other, and same for the staff, but somehow, they always seem to engage in meaningless pleasantries.</p>
<p>It’s nonsensical, but it’s the perfect distraction. Greed finds his trunk of belongings pushed to the side of the room, and he rummages through it until he finds a small wand. Wands are normally supplied by the school, but they’re cheap enough to buy, and it never hurts to carry around a small set. Weapons specialization isn’t until their third year, after all. They’ll be using wands for quite a while until then.</p>
<p>Greed taps the characters on the side of the window and murmurs the most basic spell he knows—<em>light</em>. It’s something that most mages would be able to cast without even thinking about it, but there’s a Latin incantation for everything, Greed’s found. They’re usually useless, but the words at least give the magic some focus and direction. The magic that floats around them contains some sort of memory, and after centuries of magicians using the same phrase to perform the same action, it responds a little quicker to certain phrases. With Greed’s magical aptitude, that little help is going to make all the difference.</p>
<p>His wand groans, and the window shudders under his touch before the lock snaps and Greed sees a faint glow dissipate from the window. He inspects his wand to find a crack running along its length, and sighs. One more wand down the drain. Looking at the size of the crack, this wand is one spell from breaking.</p>
<p>Greed flops down on the bed. Really, that’s the thing, isn’t it? He isn’t built to do magic. The most he can do is break a few simple spells, and even then, that’s an unintended side effect. The closest he gets the ever properly performing the spell for light is seeing the broken wards around his window glow. That’s nothing in comparison to the real effect. When it’s done right, the spell produces brilliant, brilliant light.</p>
<p>The real reason Greed carries around wands is not for their usefulness. It’s because he breaks so many that the school has stopped providing him with any. He’s never cast a single spell properly in his entire life. There have been stories, of course, of talented mages stifled by their wands, casting spells with much more finesse and power once finding their weapon.</p>
<p>Greed is not one of those stories. He thinks he’s the story of a deadweight with no magical capabilities stuck in a magical school, incapable of even a simple spell. Instead of being a normal deadweight who can’t even produce anything, though, Greed is a force of destruction, waging chaos and explosions upon the world every time he tries to channel magic through his wand.</p>
<p>He tosses his wand to the floor. It can’t break much more than it already has. Then he closes his eyes and tries to sleep. Despite all the sleep he’d gotten in class, he’s exhausted. It doesn’t even take a minute before Greed is out like a light.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Greed walks through the academy corridors, trying as hard as he can to not look conspicuous. After taking a nap, he’d woken up some time in the middle of the night, and after pacing listlessly in his room in a state of ennui, he’d fallen asleep and promptly slept through breakfast. By the time he’d walked into the main building, his first class had already begun, and there’s no good way to stroll into the second day of class late and with no viable explanation.</p>
<p>It’s not even that he doesn’t want to attend class. Well, he doesn’t, not really, but last year, he’d had a pretty stellar attendance record, though a not-so-stellar record in what he actually did in class. But still, he’d rarely missed a class, not even for a sickness. Greed can count on one hand the amount of times he’s ever been seriously sick in his life.</p>
<p>Vaguely, he remembers that there was some sort of alarm system spelled into the room, and realizes that whatever he’d done to break the wards on the window might have also destroyed that spell. It was worth it, though. Greed had left a letter by the windowsill when he first woke up, and when he fell back to sleep and rose again, it was gone, a small message left behind.</p>
<p><em>Don’t play poker.</em> Really, for all his cowardice, Bido still manages to sneak into Amestris without being seen. Either Amestris Magic Academy has never really bothered to tighten its security, or Bido is really good at sneaking around. Greed is betting on the former. </p>
<p>He scans the hallway for a clock, and finds that his first class is almost over. Greed sighs. There’s no point in heading there now.</p>
<p>Instead, he makes his way through a set of winding corridors he doesn’t recognize, taking in the sights. There’s rarely anyone in the hallways during class sessions, and the few that are around are otherwise absorbed in their own work or don’t care enough to stop him.</p>
<p>A mural to his left catches his attention. It’s a painting of the six-domain circle, the basis of all magic in Amestris. Greed examines the different scenes that blend each element together—a world on fire into a gaping ravine into a glittering parade of angels, to the vast sky, into rolling waves, a storm raging underneath a gathering of diamonds, hand sparking fire back to the top of the circle. Looking down at his jacket, Greed can see the resemblance in the six dots of color that make the crest of his school. Rather than the letters “AMA” embroidered into the center of the circle like they are on Greed’s uniform, in the center of the mural’s circle is a glittering red stone.</p>
<p>Greed doesn’t really… understand art. If it looks nice, it looks nice, sure, but he’s never really stared at a painting and thought about how deeply it affected him. Roa, on the other hand, really likes art. He goes to art museums in his free time, and sometimes, Greed gets dragged along. He remembers, one day, coming to a stop next to Roa, and staring at the painting in front of him, a landscape of a wide, open field, the sky so bright a blue it was brighter than everything else in the room.</p>
<p>It really was just a nice painting of a meadow. But when Greed had asked Roa why he liked that specific painting so much, Roa had just shrugged and said, “It makes me feel something, I guess. I can’t tell you exactly what I felt. You’ll just… know.”</p>
<p>Looking at this painting, Greed has the feeling that he does know what Roa meant. The circle seems to spin before his eyes, drawing him in, and when Greed steps closer and closer to the wall, he notices a groove in the center of the painting.</p>
<p>He glances around the hallway. It’s empty. Class will be over in just a few minutes, he knows, and he’ll have to head in.</p>
<p>The scene in front of him is so vibrant Greed feels a pressing need to touch it. He starts with the fire at the top, and traces a circle around the painting, marveling at the way the paint feels.</p>
<p>The wall shudders under his touch. Greed’s eyes widen. He recognizes the sound. It’s the same sound the wall had made when he’d crashed into the secret passageway in the Devil’s Nest.</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p>Greed recoils from the painting as if burned. He turns around to see the one and only Roy Mustang stalking towards him with an expression so fierce it holds him in place.</p>
<p>He shoves his hands in his pockets, looking away from the painting. “Hey, professor,” he says.</p>
<p>Roy frowns. “What are you doing here? This is a staff-only corridor.”</p>
<p>Greed looks around until he spots a sign on the far end of the corridor. “Oh,” he says. “I didn’t know.”</p>
<p>Roy sighs. “Seriously, what were you doing?”</p>
<p>“Appreciating art,” Greed says, and it’s the truth, isn’t it? But more pressingly—“I think there’s something here you should check out,” he says, gesturing in the direction of the mural.</p>
<p>“Another time,” Roy says. “We’re running on a tight schedule, and I don’t really have the time for it.”</p>
<p>“…Right,” Greed responds. With a little more convincing, he would probably be able to show Roy, but he doesn’t want to go through the trouble of explaining himself. Besides, Amestris Magic Academy is an old institution, with some not-so-respectable history. Secret passageways must be a dime a dozen. </p>
<p>“I was just about to head to class,” Greed says, in lieu of talking about the mural. “I missed the first one, so I thought I’d just head to my second one.”</p>
<p>“That explains nothing, but okay,” Roy says. “Anyways, I came to find you.”</p>
<p>Greed shoots him a questioning look. “You… don’t teach my second class of the day,” he says. “I might be an idiot, but I did read my schedule.”</p>
<p>Roy sighs again. Greed tends to have that effect on people, he’s realized. “You weren’t listening yesterday, were you?” he mutters.</p>
<p>Greed shrugs without an ounce of remorse. “Can’t be any different than last year, can it?”</p>
<p>At that, Roy smiles. “We’ll see,” he says. “Follow me.”</p>
<p>Greed glances longingly at the mural. Another time, maybe. “Cool,” he says. “Lead the way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Roy doesn’t talk as he navigates his way out of the building, which is fine by Greed. He’s never been one for much conversation, though he is admittedly curious about where he’s being taken.</p>
<p>The amount of walking they have to do to get there, though, seems unreasonable. Greed is convinced there’s some kind of magical incantation that makes the inside of the buildings larger than the physical space they’re confined to. It’s the only reasonable explanation as to why he can still get lost in his second year.</p>
<p>There’s also the fact that Greed had tried to repress every memory of his first, but the key emphasis there is tried. He still knows how most of the school is laid out, and remembers most of last year’s content, despite his best efforts.</p>
<p>Roy finally comes to a stop at the training grounds, where a crowd of people is gathered. A crowd that distinctly looks like every single one of the second-years. Great. That’s definitely not one of the most uncomfortable situations Greed could be placed in. </p>
<p>Of course, all the second years do squeeze into the same lecture hall, but it’s one thing to be sitting in a corner with a few dozen students who hate your guts, and it’s another thing to have every single one of them staring you down.</p>
<p>“Roy!” Greed winces. The speaker is none other than Alex Armstrong, who unsuccessfully tries to catch Roy in what would no doubt be a lung-crushing hug.</p>
<p>Alex turns his gaze on him and smiles. Greed tries his best to project an aura of <em>if you try to touch me, I’ll kill you.</em></p>
<p>“Greed!” Alex says, “You’re just in time to see your siblings summon their familiar. I’m sure they will enjoy your presence at this event, yes?”</p>
<p>Greed grimaces. “Maybe the opposite of that,” he says. “And… familiar?”</p>
<p>“I’ll explain things to him,” Roy smoothly cuts in. “Alex, if you’d make sure the summoning runs smoothly?”</p>
<p>Alex nods, and makes his way back to the center of the training grounds, a wide open space in which a complex circle has been burned into the ground.</p>
<p>“I’m guessing that was your handiwork?” Greed says, pointing at the summoning circle. Roy’s specialty magic has always been fire, and in that respect, he’s one of the world’s best mages. The level of control and detail in the burning is something of a signature to him.</p>
<p>Roy nods. “At least you’re not blind,” he says. “I assume you’ve realized what we’re doing today?”</p>
<p>“We’re summoning familiars, I get that much,” Greed says. He watches as Wrath steps forward, pointing his wand at the center of the summoning circle. A flash of light envelops him, and when the dust settles and Greed regains control of his vision, Wrath is standing in the circle with a small hawk in front of him. It squawks happily and flies up to perch on his arm.</p>
<p>“Are animals really that powerful to warrant this much ceremony?” Greed asks.</p>
<p>Roy shrugs. “Depends on who you ask. But for a familiar, they do warrant this level of preparation. Your familiar is linked to you by the very magic in our world. It’s a bond that ties two souls together. That might look like just a hawk, but that familiar is a being made of almost purely magic. They can augment a user’s magical capabilities to an unimaginable degree.” He carefully looks Greed up and down. “With the right familiar, even you might be able to cast magic.”</p>
<p>Greed ignores his last statement and asks, “Where’s you familiar, then? And why haven’t I seen any other professors with their familiars hanging around?”</p>
<p>“Some choose to dissolve their familiar bond once they grow more powerful,” Roy says. “It’s not a way of working with magic that everyone takes to, but it’s still something everyone needs to experience. It’s a curriculum mandate for the second year, after all. For others, while familiars need to stay within a certain range, that range actually spans quite a few kilometers. For a good frame of reference, that’s about the length of this city from end to end. And because familiars are almost wholly magic, they like to spend a lot of time in the magical plane, so more often than not, they’re there and you just can’t see them.”</p>
<p>He takes a minute to process the information, watching as Lust and Envy summon impressive-looking creatures. “So, what’s your familiar?” he asks again.</p>
<p>Roy smiles. “Secret.”</p>
<p>He shrugs. He’s not that interested, really. “Is the strength of your familiar dependent on magical capability?” he asks. “Because I don’t think a weasel is the same as a hawk.”</p>
<p>“To some extent, stronger mages have stronger familiars,” Roy says. “But appearances can be deceiving.”</p>
<p>Lust has summoned a cat-like creature, while Envy has some four-legged beast. They invite a crowd of students, who eagerly ooh and ahh over their familiars as if they don’t have their own creatures to dote on. Greed pities the familiars who are just milling around the training grounds.</p>
<p>Gluttony begins his summoning, and Greed suddenly realizes he’s the only one left. “What’s the incantation?” he asks. “Or do I just point at the center?”</p>
<p>Roy looks at him with a bemused expression on his face. “You’re up next, yeah?” When Greed nods, Roy says, “<em>Ad meliora.</em>”</p>
<p>“I’m not fluent in Latin,” Greed says. “What does it mean?”</p>
<p>Roy’s eyes twinkle. “To better things,” he says. “A bit of an abstract phrase, but it’s tradition.”</p>
<p>Tradition is the thing that commands magic the best, in the end. Greed thinks the phrase could have been used for so many other purposes, but he supposes not many spells are as ubiquitous and in need of an incantation as a spell to summon a familiar. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, and in that case, an incantation is priceless.</p>
<p>He rummages through his pocket for his wand, running a finger over the crack from yesterday. It’s just one spell, today. Hopefully, it’ll do its job.</p>
<p>Alex waves him over to the summoning circle, and Greed strides forward. The students around him first clamber towards him, then realize their mistake and back away from the edges of the circle. He’s glad to know his reputation precedes him. It seems like his classmates haven’t forgotten his penchant for explosions, after all.</p>
<p>“I wonder what kind of familiar you’ll get,” Envy says, half-shouting because they’re at a safe distance away. “Or if you’ll get one at all?”</p>
<p>Greed swallows and points his wand at the center of the circle. It flickers, first, and then emits a deep red glow. <em>This year is very important, you see</em>, Father had said. <em>For all of us.</em></p>
<p>He closes his eyes. <em>Destiny, if you’re out there…</em></p>
<p>“<em>Ad meliora</em>,” Greed whispers, and his wand burns hot and bright in his palm, and his vision goes white.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>When he comes to, blinking the spots out of his eyes, Greed is surprised by how quickly the disorienting feeling disappears.</p>
<p>There’s white all around him, still, but now Greed sees before him a ball of blue light. He looks down at his hands to find the splintered pieces of his wand still smoking in his palms. He dusts them off and looks up just in time to see the ball of light morph and take a vaguely humanoid shape.</p>
<p>When Greed blinks, the light of the summoning circle has faded, and he’s staring down at a disgruntled teenager, eyes closed in concentration and face pulled into a deep frown.</p>
<p>“What,” he says, and before he can finish his sentence, the stranger draws his sword and rushes at Greed.</p>
<p>It’s only years of experience that spring Greed’s body into action, and he dodges the stranger’s strike, sweeping his foot in a low kick to catch him off balance and send him tumbling back to the ground.</p>
<p>The stranger’s eyes flutter open and there’s a look of fury and fright that freezes Greed where he stands. For a moment, it’s like looking at a mirror, and then the stranger’s eyes grow steely and he springs forth, twirling his sword in a movement so fast it’s all Greed can do to dodge out of the way.</p>
<p>The stranger hisses something at him, and Greed almost stumbles in his confusion.</p>
<p>“I can’t understand what you’re saying!” he yells, and he thinks there’s a spark of recognition in the stranger’s eyes, and then he’s lying flat on the ground, sword pointed at his neck.</p>
<p>The stranger speaks again, pressing the flat side of his sword against Greed’s chin for emphasis. </p>
<p>“I said, I don’t know what you’re saying!” Greed repeats.</p>
<p>Roy rushes between the two of them, and starts to speak in the same unfamiliar language, glancing back and forth between the two.</p>
<p>The stranger slowly moves his sword away from Greed’s neck. </p>
<p>He turns towards Roy, and the two of them speak in slow, measured sentences. Greed watches as the stranger’s sword strays further and further from his neck and sighs when it’s finally sheathed. </p>
<p>As they speak, the frown on Roy’s face grows deeper, and by the end of their conversation, he sighs and looks at Greed with pity. “You’re not going to like this.”</p>
<p>The stranger pauses for a moment. Finally, when he speaks, it’s in clear, lightly accented Amestrian. “So, what is happening here?”</p>
<p>Greed picks himself up from off the ground. “If you can speak Amestrian, why didn’t you just talk to me like a normal person, instead of trying to kill me?”</p>
<p>The stranger shrugs. “I was being safe.”</p>
<p>“Right,” Greed says, losing any patience he might have had on a better day. He jabs a finger in the stranger’s direction. “Who is this, anyways?” he asks Roy. “And why is he here?”</p>
<p>“Well,” Roy says, after a long pause, “it seems like this person here is your familiar, Greed.”</p>
<p>He stares at the stranger in front of him, the same one who’d pulled a sword on him at first sight. His hair is pulled back into a low ponytail, and he’s dressed in a plain set of clothes. He looks, in Greed’s unkind opinion, kind of like an asshole. There’s no way that this person can be older than Greed. There’s also no way that this person can be any type of magical creature. No, this stranger—his <em>familiar</em>, Greed realizes with growing hysteria—is a plain, ordinary human.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>If he was feeling a little more reasonable, maybe Greed would have sputtered out a question or two, try to figure out the situation, and accept that this was just another failure in his legacy of failed magic.</p>
<p>Greed is not feeling reasonable. He’s feeling the worst he’s ever felt in this school, and that’s saying something. There’s the feeling of having your idealistic hopes of learning magic shattered when you explode everything when you try casting the simplest of spells, and then there’s the catastrophic consequence of summoning a human from halfway across the continent to be your familiar. He has the nagging feeling he should apologize, or something, but right now, doing anything but stewing in anger sits wrong on his tongue.</p>
<p>He stalks through the hallways, not bothering to check for directions. After a few minutes have passed, he winds up in front of the headmaster’s office. Greed kicks the door open, and it hits the wall with a bang.</p>
<p>Sitting at the desk in front of him is a secretary who looks like he’s about to faint in fright.</p>
<p>“Where’s Grumman?” Greed growls. The secretary points to a door, and Greed storms in.</p>
<p>When Grumman sees him, his eyes do that weird sparkle that they always do when looking at Greed. It’s one of the most disgusting things in the world. He looks at Greed like he’s some particularly delightful joke, as if he’s simply been observing time over centuries and sees that Greed’s life is a cosmic joke. Of course, Grumman isn’t <em>that </em>old. He’s old, being Riza’s grandfather, but he’s not centuries old, even if he likes to act like he knows everything.</p>
<p>“Greed, what has you in such a rush?”</p>
<p>He opens his mouth to explain the situation, and suddenly finds that the words to describe it have abandoned him.</p>
<p>Grumman raises an eyebrow. “Now, that seems concerning. But you will have to find the words for it, won’t you?”</p>
<p>Greed glares at him. “It’s about my familiar.”</p>
<p>“Did you already scare it off? It can’t have been more than an hour since you’ve met it, can it?”</p>
<p>“Fuck off,” Greed snaps. “No. My familiar, he’s…”</p>
<p>They’re interrupted by a knock on the door. Greed sighs and swings the door open, ready to yell at whatever poor student or staff needs Grumman’s attention, but he’s met with the stranger’s smiling face, Roy beside him.</p>
<p>“Perfect timing,” Greed grumbles. “Here. Headmaster, this is my familiar.” He points towards the stranger, who just smiles genially.</p>
<p>“Hello, headmaster,” he says. “This professor here has kindly told me about the situation at hand.”</p>
<p>Roy pats the stranger’s shoulder. “This kid is from Xing,” he says. “Apparently, he was summoned by our summoning circle, so now he’s linked as Greed’s familiar. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of something that already exists—not even a creature, never mind a human—coming through the circle, so I thought it was impossible, but…” He shrugs. “Clearly, it’s not.”</p>
<p><em>No such thing as no such thing</em>, Greed thinks. <em>Of course.</em></p>
<p>Grumman’s eyes do that strange sparkle, again. Greed gets a sinking feeling in his stomach.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, while I’m sure you two wish to have your familiar bond severed,” Grumman says, “It can only be done by someone involved within the familiar bond. And I’m afraid it requires at least a modicum of skill in magic, something which I assume neither of you possess.”</p>
<p>Greed holds back the urge to leap forward and strangle him until he never opens his mouth again. Grumman gets on his nerves in a specific way that very few people do. It’s his natural derision and self-assured demeanor that makes him so easy to dislike.</p>
<p>“So… what?” Greed asks. “I’m stuck with him?”</p>
<p>“Until one of you develops enough magical capability to dissolve a familiar bond, or until we find another solution, that’s how it is,” Roy says. “For now, since he’s your familiar, as part of the second-year curriculum, he is required to attend classes along with you, and we’ll try to have you participate in as many familiar-related exercises that are possible for two humans to achieve.”</p>
<p>Greed groans. “Was this mentioned in what you said yesterday?”</p>
<p>“It was,” Roy says. “Don’t you regret not paying attention?”</p>
<p>“You’re sure there’s no other way?” Greed says. “Nothing?”</p>
<p>“Nothing,” Roy says, and Greed sighs.</p>
<p>“I’ll walk myself out,” he says, and he stalks out of the office, the stranger a few steps behind him.</p>
<p>“Hey,” the stranger says. “Hey. Hey. Stop for a second there, would you?”</p>
<p>Greed whirls on him. “Seriously, what’s your problem?” he shouts.</p>
<p>The stranger just shrugs and extends a hand. “We’re stuck with each other, it seems,” he says. “We might as well get to know each other a little bit.”</p>
<p>Begrudgingly, Greed accepts his outstretched hand. “I’d rather not,” he says.</p>
<p>The stranger nods. “I’m Ling Yao,” he says. “It’s nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think so,” Greed says, and adds, “My name’s Greed.”</p>
<p><em>Ad meliora</em>, he thinks. <em>What bullshit. </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter 2! i found the phrase ad meliora during a wikipedia dive a few months ago and it was too good, i couldnt not use it lol</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Greed, as a rule of thumb, hates most people. At most, he has four friends, and they kind of owe him a debt, and are also kind of his subordinates sometimes.</p>
<p>This does not bode well.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His name is Ling Yao. He is barely seventeen years old. And here he is, walking through the hallways of Amestris Magic Academy, looking like he doesn't have a care in the world.</p>
<p>He is also Greed's familiar.</p>
<p>This baffles him. Ling hasn't talked much since they first met—not that Greed really wants to talk to him, but still, it's weird that Ling doesn't—and after their initial meeting, he's been relatively calm about the whole affair. Greed is still reeling from the shock. If he blinks he can just about remember his vision going white, and remember the first moment they locked eyes like it was mere seconds ago. Of course, it's been less than a half hour. Greed thinks that in this case, he might actually be the normal one.</p>
<p>In an event of déjà vu, Roy is dragging the two of them into classes, muttering under his breath about how much of a ruckus they've caused. Greed feels only a little guilty, because while he really isn't completely at fault, it's true that bad things just seem to happen around him, especially when they're related to magic. But if he spent every day of his life worrying about things like that, he'd be a sad and pathetic excuse for a human being, so he doesn't wallow in those types of feelings.</p>
<p>He sneaks a quick glance at Ling. Despite being seventeen, they're about the same height. At least Greed is a little taller. He's not sure he could handle it, otherwise.</p>
<p>Then again, if Ling wasn't his familiar, Greed wonders what would have happened. It would have been nice to get some super cool magical familiar, but with Greed's luck, if it wasn't Ling, he would probably summon the world's most magical ant.</p>
<p>He's starting to think he might prefer the ant.</p>
<p>Ling is... strange. There's no other way to really describe the way Greed feels about him, after knowing him for such a short time. Ling Yao is the type of person who can fight with enough skill to make Greed feel terrified, and he's usually confident in his close combat skills. Greed doesn't know many people who can handle a sword like that. He also doesn't know many people, especially those as young as Ling, who can switch from being alarmed and scared to relaxed in such a short span of time. He walks with the grace and poise of someone years beyond his age, and it's that confidence which makes Greed frightened.</p>
<p>He doesn't want Ling to be his familiar. He thinks he'd settle for anyone but Ling, as long as it was a real, magical creature, and as long as it was a familiar in the traditional sense. But despite that, he feels this undeniable curiosity. Not many people like Ling Yao exist in the world, and Greed thinks that it could maybe be worth it, getting to know him.</p>
<p>As they're dropped back into class, though, Greed quickly decides that he wants to know as little as possible about Ling. After all, not even an hour has passed. In a few days, maybe in a month, they'll figure out how to sever a familiar bond, and Greed and Ling will go their separate ways, never to meet again. Greed has a pretty good track record with damaging magic spells. He's pretty sure this won’t be any different.</p>
<p>Roy pushes them into the lecture hall, and looks them up and down before sighing in a long, drawn-out fashion that makes Greed think he's sighing more for the drama of it all than the actual feeling.</p>
<p>"You two are going to make my hair go gray," he says. "At the very least, please don't try to cause trouble. Though I've no doubt you will."</p>
<p>Greed shrugs, unrepentant. "It's going to gray at some point, anyways. Might as well get used to it. Why are you a teacher, again?"</p>
<p>Roy smiles bitterly. "Not for the students, certainly," he says. "Off you go."</p>
<p>When Greed slinks back into his seat, he's hit with the sudden realization that the class is staring at him. The professor for the class must be out or something, because the room is in a state of disorder, with everyone comparing their familiars and getting to know them. They'd all been immersed in their own activities, but now they're staring right at Greed. It's mortifying. On a more personally embarrassing note, Ling is eyeing the seat next to Greed, currently occupied by the one and only Edward Elric, and Greed realizes, with no small amount of horror, if this doesn't get fixed, Ling is going to be sitting next to him for the whole year.</p>
<p>In fact, Ling won't just be sitting next to him for the whole year. Roy had talked a little about what the two of them were going to do for as long as Ling stayed, and Ling, as his familiar, is going to be with him for all his classes, for all his meals, and will even stay in the same dorm, as they found a spare room near Greed's own.</p>
<p>The entire second year, in fact, is focused on two aspects. One is combat, and the other is partnering with a familiar. Grumman had immediately shot down the idea of excluding Greed and Ling from any familiar-related activities, stating that it would be an interesting experiment to see how a familiar bond worked between two humans, and if anything useful could come of it. Greed had wanted so desperately to strangle him afterwards. But even if he was able to get himself exempted because of his "special circumstances", he highly doubts Father would let it stay that way.</p>
<p>And speaking of Father... Greed swallows. At best, he's going to be mad, and highly controlling. At his worst, Greed refuses to think about it, because he never wants to see Father at his worst.</p>
<p>Ed gets up silently and shuffles one seat over, and Ling slides into the now empty seat with a grateful smile.</p>
<p>"What's your name?" he asks.</p>
<p>Ed mutters a short reply, and the two of them make quiet conversation until the professor reappears. Ling seems like a charming enough person, the type who makes friends easily.</p>
<p>Greed, as a rule of thumb, hates most people. At most, he has four friends, and they kind of owe him a debt, and are also kind of his subordinates sometimes.</p>
<p>This does not bode well.     </p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright,” the professor says, with a clap of his hands. “We’ve gotten off to a bit of a chaotic start, but I’m sure each and every one of you will have a fulfilling experience this year!”</p>
<p>It’s Alex Armstrong. Of course it’s Alex Armstrong. Green groans and buries his head in his hands.</p>
<p>This time, though, he actually pays attention to what’s being said. Armstrong outlines the entire curriculum for the second year, which seems to be a bit repetitive, judging by the bored looks from almost every other student in the class, but for Greed, the information is brand new.</p>
<p>Greed doesn’t remember reading much about familiars in his first year, and he guesses it’s from one of the sections in the library he never drifted towards in his time at the academy. After all, the use of a familiar is a practical, realized form of magic, which isn’t really compatible with anything about Greed’s relationship to magic at all. Even if he were to study up on familiars, he’s not sure anything he would learn from a book would apply.</p>
<p>He spares a quick glance towards Ling on his left. He’s humming quietly, and scratching out a few characters into the notebook he’d stolen out of Greed’s bag. They’re in Xingese script, so Greed couldn’t even read them if he wanted to.</p>
<p>He turns his head back to the front of the room. It seems that for the rest of the year, their familiar is going to accompany them in every single one of their classes, in order to promote bonding. Of course, in this familiar-specific class, they’ll be learning techniques to communicate with their familiar, bond with them, and all about familiars in general. But even outside these classes, familiars will bond with students while they study other aspects of magic. While the familiar class itself takes up a large chunk of time, their combat class is going to incorporate familiars pretty often, as they’re incredibly useful in combat. Combat classes are beginning bright and early tomorrow, which Greed both dreads and anticipates. Hawkeye is the most bearable professor in the entire school, and it’s the only class Greed is good at. He thinks Ling would be good at it too, but he’s not sure how his status as a familiar is going to affect that. The most likely answer is that things will become a mess.</p>
<p>At that, Greed looks at Ling again. Though the two of them probably won’t be able to perform any of the magic that leads to “magical augmentation”, as described by Armstrong, he knows that Ling has excellent combat skills. Where he learned to use a sword like that, Greed’s not exactly keen on knowing. He supposes, after a moment, that it must have been in Xing.</p>
<p>Ling turns towards him and catches his eye. Greed thinks about turning back to the front like nothing had happened, but instead, he just sits there, paralyzed. It’s not often, after all, that Ling even has his eyes open wide like that. He’d explained in the office that from where he’d come from, he was used to simply sensing things without fully opening his eyes. Greed hasn’t seen him with his eyes fully open since then.</p>
<p>It’s not that strange, as far as things go. With magic all around them, the way humans work is never really the way it once was, back when their ancestors were only beginning to harness magic. Ling rarely opening his eyes wide is nothing compared to the chimera bodies of Dublith, or Sloth’s incredible height. The closer humans get to magic, the stranger they become. Greed thinks maybe that’s why Ling is his familiar. Mage or not, Ling clearly has some amount of magic in him, no matter how pitiful that level may be. For someone like Greed, it’s almost the perfect match.</p>
<p>Ling smiles at him. Greed frowns and looks away.</p>
<p>It’s not because he doesn’t want to talk in class. There’s obviously a benefit in trying to stay in Armstrong’s good graces, but Greed doesn’t care nearly that much. No, it’s not because he doesn’t want to talk to class. The truth of the matter is that no matter how great Ling is, no matter how salvageable this situation could be, Greed doesn’t want to talk to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>The bell tolls twice, and Greed stretches up from his seat with a yawn. “It’s lunch,” he says, addressing Ling without looking at him. “Let’s go.”</p>
<p>In a small miracle, no one interrupts them as they make their way to the dining hall. There’s not any students out there who are particularly fond of Greed, but there are always those that make it their life’s mission to annoy him, and he’s glad to avoid them for once. He sits down at a small table tucked in the corner, and watches as Ling drops into the seat across him.</p>
<p>“So,” Ling says, “What is Amestrian cuisine like, anyways?”</p>
<p>“Hell if I know,” Greed says. He jabs a thumb where food is being served. “Why don’t you find out?”</p>
<p>Ling looks at him curiously. “The food is free here?”</p>
<p>“It’s the most prestigious magic school in the country, it better be free.”</p>
<p>Ling smiles. “I didn’t realize the school was so… decorated, in its accomplishments.” He speaks slowly, eyes wandering over to the window on the far side of the wall. The dining hall isn’t particularly grand, but there’s a specific window with some admittedly gorgeous stained glass art.</p>
<p>Greed had sat at the table closest to that window for the entirety of his first year. Now, his siblings have taken up residence in the same space, occupying a large table that had replaced the previous seating. They paint a pretty picture with their familiars popping in and out of the magical realm to conserve space. And with the array of colors at hand, the six of them make a perfect representation of each domain.</p>
<p>Though no one ever picks a specialization until their last year, a lot of people are naturally talented at harnessing magic from one domain, in particular. By either a freak accident of nature or a complex plan Greed doesn’t want to think about, each of his siblings has a special talent in one domain, with no overlap. He’s half-convinced Father, at some point, had sat each of them down and told them what they were going to be good at. Of course, if it was that simple, Greed wouldn’t have failed almost all of his classes in the first year. No, his siblings are just terrifyingly competent, and like that all of the time. He’d hate it more if they weren’t such insufferable bastards. Their perfection, now, is really more of an insult to themselves.</p>
<p>Ling reappears with a plate of food in his hand. “Are you not eating?” he asks.</p>
<p>Greed groans and gets up. “Yeah, I’ll eat,” he says. “Don’t run away. Or do, I don’t care.”</p>
<p>The dining hall hasn’t changed since last year, so Greed goes on autopilot, mind wandering to the strange series of events he’s been caught up in. Things going right in his life is the exception and not the norm, but even he couldn’t have predicted this level of catastrophe. It’s one thing to mess up summoning a familiar, and it’s another thing to do that and suddenly find yourself responsible for a whole human person. Something similar happened in Dublith, but Dublith was a hellscape of a city and he’s sure something would have happened without him there. Besides, in Dublith, he wasn’t actively making someone’s life worse.</p>
<p>While he’s zoning out, someone he doesn’t know taps him on the shoulder. He turns around to face someone he recognizes as school staff. He has no clue what their name is.</p>
<p>“Greed, right?”</p>
<p>He raises an eyebrow. “The one and only. Who’re you?”</p>
<p>Instead of answering the question, they hand him a letter with a secretive smile. “I’ve been told to give this to you.”</p>
<p>Greed looks down at the seal on the letter and groans. It’s the signature ouroboros that Father uses to sign all his letters. “Great,” he says, tearing the letter open.</p>
<p>When he looks up, the other person is gone. Greed walks back to his seat, carefully reading the letter. It’s short, but effective, if effective means instantly ruins Greed’s day. To make such a horrible day worse is a special talent of Father’s, after all.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” Ling asks when Greed drops back into his seat. He’s already finished two plates of food.</p>
<p>“<em>You are cordially invited to attend a dinner in the family manor</em>,” Greed reads out, not bothering to hide his distaste. “Lucky you, Ling. You get the wonderful honor of meeting dear old dad.”</p>
<p>Ling hums, reaching over the table to snatch the letter from Greed’s hands. “Nice seal,” he says. “That why you have the tattoo?”</p>
<p>“None of your business,” Greed responds, getting out of his seat. “Anyways, we have a couple of hours to kill—we’re skipping class.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Ling asks. “Do I need formal wear for your dinner?”</p>
<p>Greed stares at him. “Right, you need clothes,” he mutters. “Sure, let’s do that. But no, what you’re wearing is good for dinner. We don’t have a dress code.”</p>
<p>Ling pockets the letter. “Fancy letters but no dress code? My, your family is… interesting.”</p>
<p>“You’ll get to meet them soon enough,” Greed says. “Unfortunately.”</p>
<p>The two of them exit the dining hall. Greed maintains an impassive face as people break out into hushed whispers as they pass by. People aren’t trying very hard to keep quiet.</p>
<p>Ling doesn’t make any comments about it. His expression doesn’t even change as he breezes right by them. For someone who acts so friendly, he can be surprisingly quiet.</p>
<p>Greed sighs. There’s probably some things he should get out of the way, if Ling’s not going to ask. He leads the two of them to an isolated section of the school and turns around.</p>
<p>“Look,” he bites out, “this doesn’t have to be… painful. I’m sure there’s some way to break this familiar bond, so we’ll be out of each other’s hair before we know it.”</p>
<p>“You look pretty pained about it,” Ling says.</p>
<p>“Well, yeah,” Greed says. “Quick question: what class are we having next?”</p>
<p>Ling shrugs. “I’m not that familiar with Amestrian magic practices. Weren’t you paying attention?”</p>
<p>“I was,” Greed says, “but what were you writing in Xingese, if it wasn’t notes?”</p>
<p>Ling doesn’t answer. Greed sighs again and says, “It’s essentially magical geography. The first thing we’re going to be doing in that class is learning how to pull a familiar in and out of the magical realm. I don’t suppose you know how to go back there?”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Ling says, “no, I wouldn’t know how to do that. I could probably make my way back to Xing, but this bond… won’t let us go that far apart, will it?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Greed says. “So until then…”</p>
<p>“We’re stuck together, and can’t complete most class assignments,” Ling answers. “That is troubling.” </p>
<p>“It’s not the worst thing that’s happened to me,” Greed says. “But it’s going to be a few annoying weeks.”</p>
<p>Ling nods. “Well, for what it’s worth, it is nice to meet you, Greed.”</p>
<p>He opens his mouth to… what? Say <em>nice to meet you, too</em>?</p>
<p>“I make a point not to lie,” Greed says, instead. “Sorry.”</p>
<p>Ling looks at him, curiously. “You’re pretty miserable, aren’t you?”</p>
<p>“When you’ve been through what I have, kid?” Greed says. “If you knew, you’d be pretty jaded.”</p>
<p>Ling stares at him for an uncomfortable moment.</p>
<p>“Okay. Conversation over.” Greed makes his way to the nearest exit, and Ling soon follows suit.</p>
<p>“That’s it, isn’t it?” Ling says, behind him. “I don’t know you.”</p>
<p>Greed ignores him.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Greed is fiddling with his keys when Ling steps out of his dorm room. He stares at Greed for a long moment, and then points to his door and asks, “You have a lock?”</p>
<p>“Most students just cast a locking charm on their stuff,” Greed explains. “I don’t.”</p>
<p>“Hm,” Ling says, and there’s a moment of silence in which Greed wonders if he should just lay the truth all bare, even though Ling most definitely already knows it, the <em>I’m not skilled enough at magic to cast a basic locking spell</em> truth, but he thinks better of it. “Can’t students just break the lock, though?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but the spell to dismantle a locking charm is really easy, unless you set up other complicated spell work. If someone breaks my lock, I’ll know, because I have a broken, damaged, or vanished lock.”</p>
<p>“Can’t they mend your lock, though?” Ling asks.</p>
<p>Greed shakes his head. “This metal is the type that’s usually unresponsive to magic. Very few people work well with it, so people can break it, but they’ll have a harder time convincing it to put itself back together. If someone has an affinity for that lock’s metal, they deserve a prize.”</p>
<p>Ling stares at him, obvious confusion on his face. “You know a lot of magical theory, don’t you?” he says. “It’s unexpected.”</p>
<p>Greed scowls. “For starters,” he says, “you know absolutely nothing compared to me. Anyone would look like a genius next to you. And how the fuck is it unexpected?”</p>
<p>Rather than answer, Ling changes the subject. “So, are we going to your family’s dinner, now?”</p>
<p>“You have all your stuff packed away?”</p>
<p>“Yep,” Ling says. He’s still wearing the same jacket and pants as last time, but he’s added a shirt underneath. It’s only a few months from winter in Amestris, and the weather is much colder than Xing.</p>
<p>“Great,” Greed says, “Follow me.” He leads the two of them out of the dorms and they set a brisk pace from the school gates. The manor is only a half an hour away by walking, and it’s a mostly isolated route that leads the way there.</p>
<p>“This is isolated for a city,” Ling says. “Is your home that far away?”</p>
<p>“No, it’s just isolated,” Greed says. “And it’s not my home. I don’t live there.”</p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p>“Nothing you need to know.”</p>
<p>Ling falls quiet, after that.</p>
<p>Greed looks up at the sky and sighs. He wasn’t supposed to meet with Father until at least a month from now. Maybe even more, if he could keep his head down. He’s not prepared to face him again in just a little more than a week. That’s not nearly enough time away from his overbearing presence.</p>
<p>Really, even if things had gone wrong, it feels strange to get a summons from his Father on the same exact day. It might have been that he’d been called into the headmaster’s office, or it had gone the other way around, but there’s still no reason to hold a dinner this soon. He’s sure Father would think otherwise. There is always a reason to have a family dinner, and sometimes those reasons are subtle and insidious, and sometimes they are glaringly obvious.</p>
<p>This dinner is obviously of the latter type.</p>
<p>They arrive at the gates, and Ling scans the area around them in shock. “This is… your father’s manor?” he asks. “Are you royalty?”</p>
<p>Greed laughs. “Do I <em>look </em>like royalty?”</p>
<p>“No, not at all,” Ling says, shaking his head. “You don’t even look rich.”</p>
<p>“Well, the family is rich,” Greed says. “But none of us are royalty. Father is just ‘the greatest magician to ever grace the continent of Amestris’, so it comes with benefits.”</p>
<p>“I see,” Ling mumbles, as a pair of servants push open the gates and beckon them in. “And your father still allows casual dress?”</p>
<p>“There’s not an explicit rule for dress code,” Greed says, walking towards where he knows the rest of his siblings have already arrived. “But even if there was, I would break it.”</p>
<p>Ling frowns. “So there is a dress code, and you didn’t tell me?”</p>
<p>“Considering you’re my familiar,” Greed drawls, hating the way that word sits on his tongue, “I can for sure say there’s no dress code. Not for you, at least.”</p>
<p>And with that, he steps into the dining hall.</p>
<p>Unlike Amestris Magic Academy’s dining hall, the room is grand and extravagantly decorated, and the food is prepared by world-class chefs. The food in the academy’s dining hall has never been subpar, but few things compare to the grandiose nature of this dining hall.</p>
<p>He hears a gasp from Ling and rolls his eyes. Father is just obviously trying to impress. There wasn’t such a big fanfare at last week’s dinner.</p>
<p>They take a seat next between Sloth and Wrath. There’s two seats between them, unlike the usual one, which confirms that this dinner really is about him.</p>
<p>“These are your siblings?” Ling whispers into his ear. “I saw them earlier. Aren’t they students?”</p>
<p>“Unfortunately,” Greed says, patting his shoulder. He looks up at the head of the table and finds it empty. “Let’s introduce ourselves, shall we?”</p>
<p>He jabs Sloth in the arm, who swats his hand away like it was an errant fly. Sloth slowly turns to face them. “Greed.”</p>
<p>“That’s my name, yeah,” Greed replies. “Ling, this is Sloth. My older brother.”</p>
<p>“Nice to meet you,” Ling says, and to Greed’s horror and delight, Sloth glares at him.</p>
<p>“So, do all your siblings hate you?” Ling asks, not even bothering to whisper.</p>
<p>“Oh, more than you can imagine,” Lust says from across him, extending her hand across the table. “I’m Lust.” Her smile turns devilish when Ling takes her hand. “My condolences, that you’ve gotten stuck with… well, you’ll see, soon enough.”</p>
<p>“Well, nice to meet you, too,” Ling mutters.</p>
<p>“Wrath’s not talking,” Greed says, pointing to him on Ling’s left, “because he’s sleeping, but that’s him.”</p>
<p>Wrath’s uncovered eye snaps open. “I would not desecrate our family dinner by sleeping,” he hisses. “You, on the other hand, would be perfectly able.”</p>
<p>“If I could sleep in this room, that would be a miracle,” Greed says. “Really, you’re too nice.”</p>
<p>He points to the other three across the table. “That kid is Pride,” he says, “the one with the green hair is Envy, and the other one is Gluttony. Now that they’re all out of the way—”</p>
<p>“Not giving us the pleasure of proper introductions, Greed?” Pride says.</p>
<p>“You didn’t seem very interested,” he says, raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m not,” Pride says, sitting up straight. It shouldn’t be intimidating, because he’s barely a teenager, but it is. “It just makes me wonder about the quality of your introductions.” He turns his sharp gaze to Ling. “I wonder if… your familiar here has truly gotten to know you.”</p>
<p>“Quiet.” Father’s voice resounds through the hall. Each of them snap to attention, even Ling, because that’s just the type of commanding presence Father has.</p>
<p>Father takes his seat. “We will begin dinner shortly. Before that, I’d like to say why I’ve gathered you all here.” He clears his throat. “Most of you in this class have just summoned their familiar, save for Sloth and Pride. After his second year, Sloth decided to break his familiar bond, as I did many years ago. Still, a familiar remains an important part of the institution, and it would be remiss not to address it. Due to some eventful circumstances at the summoning, I thought that this would be a wonderful chance to meet all of your familiars.”</p>
<p>He can feel Ling’s eyes on him. Greed keeps his gaze trained on Father.</p>
<p>The servants surround them with dishes as Father keeps speaking, and he hears Ling hesitantly dig into his dinner.</p>
<p>“Since we began from Sloth, last dinner, I thought we would begin from our youngest, save for Pride, and move up.”</p>
<p>Greed groans, and covers it up with a cough. Judging by the look Envy shoots him, it was poorly done.</p>
<p>They stand up from their seat with a smug look on their face, and Greed bites down the irresistible urge to punch them in the face. Envy presents their wand with a flourish.</p>
<p>Father nods at him approvingly, and Envy waves their wand in a few quick motions, making a show of their wordless casting, before a bright light glows from it and a lizard-like creature drags itself out of the light and onto the table.</p>
<p>“Nice lizard,” Greed says, because if there’s anything Envy hates, it’s being made fun of, especially when they’re trying to show off.</p>
<p>“It’s a <em>dragon</em>,” Envy hisses, and Greed suddenly realizes that even though the creature has legs, it looks incredibly serpentine. It’s not completely impossible for familiars to have shapeshifting properties, or different forms, and seeing that this creature doesn’t look much like any animal he knows, it’s likely it does have another form. He decides not to tell Envy this, only because it will be leagues funnier once Envy realizes their mistake.</p>
<p>“A very large lizard,” Greed amends.</p>
<p>Ling nudges him in the shoulder and whispers into his ear, “Isn’t it a snake?” Greed grins at him and mouths <em>yes </em>before antagonizing Envy again.</p>
<p>“A dragon is compatible with your best domain, isn’t it?” Father says, cutting the two of them off. “Though it doesn’t have any wings to complement the air domain, like most dragons do, I’m sure you’ll work around that. It’s a fitting partner.”</p>
<p>Envy sits back down, and like clockwork, Gluttony rises from his seat. The bastard has already gorged himself on the whole dinner course. Greed really doesn’t know how he does it—whatever vegetable he’s eating tastes like fried sludge.</p>
<p>Gluttony doesn’t talk much, but as far as siblings go, Gluttony is one of his favorites, mostly because he just hangs around Lust, and specifically because he doesn’t talk much. The less he has to interact and know his siblings, the better their relationship is, and Gluttony is probably the most cordial to him, because he’s a few years younger and indifferent.</p>
<p>Gluttony takes out his wand and speaks the incantation for summoning a familiar. Greed doesn’t bother to memorize it. Out of his wand pops out a large crocodile, shaking the dinner table when it lands on top of it. It snaps at Wrath before Lust waves her wand and levitates it behind Gluttony’s seat.</p>
<p>“Crocodiles and water go very well together,” Father says. “Very good.” Gluttony beams.</p>
<p>“Alright, I’m next,” Lust says, casting the spell before any of them can cut in. The light in front of her wand appears and disappears in a flash.</p>
<p>Behind her chair a panther blinks its eyes open, and then jumps into Lust’s lap. It’s far too big to really stay there, but it makes for an impressive visual. Greed makes uncomfortable eye contact with it. He’d call it just a large cat, but Lust is probably the most terrifying of all his siblings. He eyes the silverware by her plate. In her hands, it would probably be sharp enough to draw blood.</p>
<p>“Panthers aren’t necessarily connected with fire,” Lust says smoothly, “but I think its personality and effectiveness will more than make up for that.”</p>
<p>“Well said,” Father says, and Lust smiles, stroking the panther’s head.</p>
<p>“Wrath,” Father continues, “If you would?”</p>
<p>Greed doesn’t pay much attention. He already knows it’s a hawk, so he zones out instead, turning towards Ling to see what he thinks.</p>
<p>Ling has his hands clasped tightly together in front of him, and he’s not shaking in the slightest. Instead, he’s staring at the wall, which, while slightly better than trembling in fear, isn’t much better.</p>
<p>Greed reaches over and lays a hand on his wrist. Ling looks at him. Greed squeezes his wrist in what he hopes is a comforting motion, and Ling nods and sits up a little straighter.</p>
<p>“Greed,” Father announces, startling the two of them. “I’ve heard your familiar is quite… exceptional.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Greed says, rising out of his seat. “He is exceptional. Unlike everyone else here, he’s actually got a name, and his name is Ling.”</p>
<p>Ling stands up next to him. His posture is like something out of a fairy tale, and not for the first time, Greed thinks that the person next to him is a strange teenager. </p>
<p>Father’s gaze zeroes in on him. “A human,” he spits out. “Greed, exceptional is not <em>human</em>.”</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” Ling says. “Isn’t everyone here human? You can’t hate yourself that much.”</p>
<p>Greed looks at him in shock. The Ling he’s grown familiar with is quiet and dignified when he needs to be. He’s not… whoever this person is. Then again, Greed supposes he hasn’t been setting a very good example. And in the end, it’s not like he knows Ling very much at all.</p>
<p>In an even stranger turn of events, Father smiles. “Well Greed, he is certainly funnier than you,” he says, and even though it sounds kind of like a threat, Greed is hit with the realization that Father is making a joke. About him, no less.</p>
<p>Envy smiles. “A human? How’s he going to face a dragon?”</p>
<p>“Well,” Ling says, “I do have a sword. And that’s a snake.” </p>
<p>Envy looks behind them to see their dragon, which has gotten rid of its legs and is indeed a snake. Their face pales. “Greed, I’m going to kill you,” they snarl. </p>
<p>“You’re so annoying!” Lust says. “That’s not even a good threat.” She smiles at Ling. “Don’t worry. I’m sure whatever sword you have isn’t nearly as sharp as mine. And if you’re fighting me, you’ll need a sword as sharp as mine.”</p>
<p>“No, I don't think I do,” Ling says, to Greed’s rising crescendo of panic. “If this country is magical, I’m sure there’s other things I can use than a sword.” </p>
<p>Lust stares at him. Ling stares at her for a minute before turning to where Father sits. </p>
<p>“Is that it?” Ling asks. “No quiz? No weird rituals? Just your strange children threatening murder?”</p>
<p>Greed stifles a laugh. </p>
<p>“That’s it,” Father confirms, no humor in his voice. “While you are certainly an <em>unconventional </em>familiar, I doubted anything good would happen to Greed, in the first place. At your very best, you’ll be entertainment, or a distraction. All I ask is that you do not impede his studies, and allow him to complete his missions.” He pauses. “And I would not need a quiz to know who you are, Ling. I would just know. This was merely a cordial invite.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Ling says, slowly. “I won’t get in his way. No worries.”</p>
<p>“Humans can’t do much,” Father says. “When they try to do much, it often leads to disastrous results. It’s better for them to stay quiet, and simply do what their limited selves are capable of.”</p>
<p>Greed groans. He doesn’t want to suffer through another spiel about how humans are imperfect and flawed beings and they all must accept their own personal vices, but in another small miracle, Father ends his speech there.</p>
<p>“You may sit down,” Father says, and Greed sinks back into his seat. He turns to his left and finds that Ling is staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face.</p>
<p>Father looks around the room before clearing his throat. “This will conclude our dinner for today. You are welcome to stay and eat some more, but I will depart for other business, now. Keep in mind what I said to you the week before. You are all dismissed.”</p>
<p>Greed shoots up from his seat and tugs on Ling’s sleeve. “Let’s go,” he says.</p>
<p>“Greed? Are you—?”</p>
<p>“We’re going now,” he interrupts, dragging the two of them out of the manor. “Do you really want to stay?”</p>
<p>“I don’t,” Greed says. “I do not want to be in that building for one more second. Follow me.”</p>
<p>Once again, Ling falls quiet, and follows him back to wherever he goes. Greed belatedly wonders if this constant accompanying presence is what having a familiar is supposed to feel like.</p>
<p>Something must have scrambled in his brain after that family dinner. He can’t tell if he hates or likes the feeling, anymore.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>They don’t talk until they’re back in Greed’s room and he’s collapsed on the bed.</p>
<p>Ling hovers near one of the bedposts. “I have some questions,” he says. “Would you mind answering them?”</p>
<p>Greed groans. “Fine,” he says. “Since you’re already here. And since you had to witness that catastrophe. But they better not be stupid.”</p>
<p>“Your siblings… I was right. They are interesting. But they don’t like you very much, do they?” It’s not much of a question. Greed makes a noise of agreement. “But their names… I don’t know much about Amestris, or Amestrian culture, but their names <em>are</em> strange, aren’t they?”</p>
<p>“They are,” Greed says. “Do you know the seven deadly sins?”</p>
<p>Ling’s resulting expression is enough of an answer. “The seven deadly sins,” Greed says, “Are the seven fatal flaws of any human. There’s lust, gluttony, envy, greed, sloth, wrath, and pride. Father had the idea of naming each child after each sin, as a reminder of our humanity.”</p>
<p>Ling remains silent. “Uh, do you need an explanation—” Greed weakly offers.</p>
<p>“I know what the words mean,” Ling says. “I was just thinking.”</p>
<p>“Thinking about what?” Greed asks.</p>
<p>“Why you’re still here,” Ling says. “I know it’s not because of your magical talent.”</p>
<p>Greed scowls, but it’s the truth, so he can’t argue with him. “It’s not like I can stop Father from enrolling me in this academy, can I?”</p>
<p>“It’s true, you probably couldn’t,” Ling says, and Greed hates that he’s right. “But there’s other things. You skipped class, which would be in line for someone who doesn’t really want to be here. But you skipped class only because you already knew the material. You didn’t fail your first year because you were bad at <em>learning </em>magic. You failed only because you were bad at magic.”</p>
<p>He’s at a loss for words. It’s terrifying, because Ling is years younger than him, but he’s accurately pinpointed all of this after knowing Greed for less than a day. It’s a scary feeling to be spotlighted by such an intense curiosity, and even more terrifying is that Ling has been spot-on in his thinking. Greed had never thought he was that easy to read.</p>
<p>“Am I right?” Ling asks. Greed just nods. “So, why are you here, then?”</p>
<p>Greed looks up at him. “Why don’t you guess?”</p>
<p>Ling paces around the room for a minute, deep in thought. He stares at the window, and then at the heap of trinkets cluttering Greed’s desk, and snaps his finger. “These names of each of your siblings… they’re not random, are they?”</p>
<p>Greed sighs. “Got it in one.”</p>
<p>“Greed,” Ling says, “That’s what you <em>are</em>, isn’t it? The personification of avarice. That’s why you’re here.”</p>
<p>Greed nods. “That’s about right,” he mutters. “I mean, I don’t… it’s not like I <em>try </em>to embody the name, but… it’s who I am, in some ways. Can’t change it. It’s not like that for my other siblings. They’re all… perfect, or whatever, which is probably why they dislike me so much, as you said. Me and the six others—well, to put a long story short, they have a stunning relationship with dear old dad… and I never have.”</p>
<p>“I don’t particularly care for your family matters,” Ling says. “Though they are strange. I’d much rather learn about you.”</p>
<p>He shrugs. “What can I say that you don’t know? I’m rich. I’m a failure at magic. I don’t really want to get along with you.”</p>
<p>In an instant, Ling’s friendly, teasing smile turns sharp. “I did not ask what other people say about you,” he says, drawing his sword. As cool and calm as always, he points it at Greed’s chest. “I asked about <em>you</em>. I want to know who you are.”</p>
<p>“No one’s asked me that before,” Greed says. He wants to look away, but Ling’s gaze holds him in place.</p>
<p>“I think you should know by now that I’m not most people,” Ling says.</p>
<p>He thinks about the boy he met just this day, his uncanny sharpness, his easy acceptance of the situation, and his fearlessness in front of the people who scare him most. He thinks, too, of the way that Ling, as annoying as he is, has been friendly, welcoming, and refrained from insulting him once, throughout this entire day. He thinks, now, about the person that has him pinned to the spot by both his sword and words. </p>
<p>Greed laughs. “No,” he agrees, “You’re not.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>here's the first three chapters for today! more will come in the following days, so keep your heads up!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Greed looks out at the students before them and takes a seat next to Ling. While some familiars look like impressive beasts, Armstrong was right. They really just do look like pets. He digs through his pockets and comes up with a short pencil.</p><p>“Hey,” he says. “Ling.”</p><p> “Yeah?”</p><p>Greed chucks the pencil a few feet in front of him. It bounces once as it hits the ground and then disappears between the blades of grass. “Fetch.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>here's the first chapter for this week! hope it's enjoyable</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Roa and I closed up the door to the sewers. It’s sealed shut now, so we don’t have to worry about attacks from there. Of course, we still know where it is. So it could come in handy for emergencies. Things have been pretty quiet on our end. Bido has been listening to see if anyone else has talked about that thing you guys saw in the sewers, but there’s been nothing. If there was, I’m sure he’d add it to this letter. I don’t think we’re going to get any more information, though. If it’s something one of your siblings was involved with, I doubt it’s anything us commoners have to deal with. Anyways, all of us are hoping you’re doing okay. How are things on your end? —Dolcetto</em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>This letter is going to be really fucking long. A lot of shit has happened, and it’s all fucking miserable… —Greed</em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>It’s Martel writing this one. Dolcetto started screaming halfway through your letter, and we all thought he was crazy, but now I have to agree with him. This is supposed to be an elite school, right? What kind of elite school lets you summon a kid from halfway across the world, and then just lets it go? Then again, considering they like your dad so much, I guess the crazy is expected. I know familiars are magically bonded, but if I’m ever near Envy, I’ll set his own snake on him. We’re all worried about you. This kid… Ling, you said his name was? I know he pointed a sword at you and all that, but like you said, he seems alright. I mean, even if he’s not alright, he’s just a kid. All kids are some type of bastard. I would know. Dolcetto says that he’s sorry about the fact that you had to suffer through family dinners. And a lot of other things, but I think you can probably infer them. And Roa has given the advice that as long as you’re stuck with this kid, you should get to know him and do as many familiar-like activities that you can. Says it’ll be of help when you get yourself an actual proper familiar, or it’ll just teach you new things, but I think he just wants to make sure you’re not skipping class and landing yourself into more trouble. Bido wants me to say that you should stay as safe as possible. Guess he has a bad feeling about things. I mean, if I was in your position, I’d have a bad feeling, too. There’s a lot more to say from all of us. But I think you can imagine most of what we’d say. It’s not as useful in a letter, and it’s hard to write everything down in a way that feels right. Wishing for a miraculous, eleventh hour comeback where you wipe those smug entitled looks off of your siblings’ faces. —Martel</em>
</p><p>Greed folds the paper back into a neat square and sighs.</p><p>Per Martel’s letter, he’s been dutifully attending all of his classes. The first week hasn’t been utterly miserable, but he knows he’s in some circle of hell. Combat classes, like last year, are the only exception. They’ve been sparring in duos with their familiars, and while most people have had to learn new, unconventional ways of adapting to their familiar’s form and directing them to attack, Greed and Ling have managed pretty well. Ling’s skill with the <em>dao</em> is impeccable, and Greed picks up most types of combat well enough. After a round of sparring, Hawkeye had actually praised them on their fighting skill. Of course, she’d added that their teamwork needed a lot of practice.</p><p>After Ling had pointed that sword at Greed (for the <em>second</em> time, all in the <em>first</em> day of their meeting—seriously, what the hell?) the two of them have gotten along a little better. They’re not friends, really, but Greed tries to talk to him, keep conversation, and whatever else it is casual acquaintances are supposed to do. He’s never been that good at being a mean person, so it’s not hard, it’s just strange. Ling doesn’t show it that often, but he’s young, and unsettled by the situation he’s found himself in. While a few students talk to him, there aren’t many who want to associate themselves with Greed, so it’s not like he’s having the vibrant school life that Greed was missing out on, either. In a way, their relationship is one of commiseration—they’re two people in the same horrible situation.</p><p>“Wondering how to reply?” Ling asks.</p><p>Greed looks at the folded up letter in his hands. He shrugs. “Yeah, I guess.”</p><p>They’re walking towards their do-nothing class, which is really just the class dedicated to understanding the concept of familiars and any other things that might come with it. It’s pretty freeform, so Ling and Greed have mostly been using it as an extra session of combat class. Fighting, after all, is where they started from. It doesn’t need words, and it’s easy enough to do.</p><p>Ling stares at the letter curiously. “Who’s it from?”</p><p>He pushes down the urge to say ‘none of your business’ and replies, “it’s from a friend of mine. Her name’s Martel.”</p><p>“Cool,” Ling says. “She’s not a student here, is she? Does she live in the city?” At Greed’s questioning look, he says, “Well, you wouldn’t get a letter from her if she was a student. But that letter and the envelope you’re holding don’t have any type of postage on it, so I figured it was hand-delivered.”</p><p>Greed nods. “Well… that’s observant of you,” he says. “Yeah, Martel and my other friends work at a pub in the city. It’s called the Devil’s Nest. If we ever get around to exploring the city—well, if you end up sticking around for that long—I can take you there.”</p><p>Ling lights up. “Really? That would be great.”</p><p>“Uh, yeah,” Greed says. “It’s not a problem.” He hadn’t expected Ling to be so happy about the chance to meet one of his friends. He’d said it himself that he didn’t care about Greed’s family, so Greed doesn’t know what the difference is. More than that, while not entirely uncomfortable, it’s bewildering to simply exist by someone who talks so much. Greed would never classify the two of them as friendly, but you can’t spend a week of all of your waking hours with the same person and not develop some sort of understanding.</p><p>Ling can be many things—loud and annoying, quiet and terrifying, occasionally kind—but he’s almost always sure of himself. He possesses a confidence Greed can’t even imagine having as a teenager, and a sense of responsibility that Greed doesn’t possess even now. But the most striking point about him is simple.</p><p>He’s a good person.</p><p>It’s hard to quantify, ever, what makes someone truly, truly good—Greed thinks of himself as morally ambiguous at best—but he just knows that Ling is someone who is a good person just because. He can be tricky, and a pest, but he’s always nice, and tries to do what’s right. He braved Greed’s entire family without making fun of him, and he talks to his classmates as much as they allow him. In one week, Ling has managed to befriend both of the Elrics, gain the approval of most of his teachers, and even make Greed feel somewhat positive towards him, and that’s not because of his class performance.</p><p>Greed tucks his letter back into his envelope and enters the classroom. It’s definitely not because of his performance in class.</p><p>Armstrong ushers them into their seats, and begins lecturing without even pausing for breath. Greed tugs out his notebook, stealing a glance at where Ling sits beside him with a small journal, writing, as always, in Xingese.</p><p>Whatever he’s writing, it’s definitely not dedicated notes about magic classes. Greed is unsure how much Ling knows about magic, but he still looks surprised every time he sees it.</p><p>He focuses his attention back to the front of the room.</p><p>“…So, as I said last week, your familiar, at this point, is going to have the intelligence level of how one might treat a pet. Of course, as we progress, we’ll move onto the stages of soulbonding, and eventually arrive at a low-level stage of telepathy. Many students don’t arrive at this last stage, but even if you don’t, you’ll be able to work with it next year with your familiar, if you wish. Of course, some students make the choice to dissolve their familiar bond after the end of the year. All of—almost all of you should have enough magical power to do it. While having a familiar is an incredible boost to your magic, some mages don’t feel the need to have one or don’t work well with one.”</p><p>Greed glances at Ling again. Ling is staring right at him. The dissolution of a familiar bond, the invisible thread that has been tying them together, and Greed’s magical incompetence. Those two are the goal and the obstacle towards it. He wonders how Ling feels, being pulled into a situation that doesn’t even really involve him.</p><p>Ling blinks at him and Greed turns away.</p><p>Armstrong pushes the door open. “I know most of you just came from combat classes, but we’re going out into the field again. Today, we’ll continue working on establishing a bond with our familiars. I encourage all of you to communicate with your familiar as much as you can. Try to make them follow simple and specific commands. Magic is driven primarily by attention, and while there’s more we’ll do to learn how to direct your familiar, you should try to train them through non-magical means.”</p><p>Greed stretches under the warm sunlight. Ling sits down on the grass next to him in a lazy, relaxed position. “So… communication, yeah?”</p><p>Greed looks out at the students before them and takes a seat next to Ling. While some familiars look like impressive beasts, Armstrong was right. They really just do look like pets. He digs through his pockets and comes up with a short pencil.</p><p>“Hey,” he says. “Ling.”</p><p> “Yeah?”</p><p>Greed chucks the pencil a few feet in front of him. It bounces once as it hits the ground and then disappears between the blades of grass. “Fetch.”</p><p>Ling shoves him. “Bastard,” he says. “You don’t think I’d really do that?”</p><p>Greed snorts. “I don’t think any human would do that. It’s just… wow, this class is useless.”</p><p>Ling jabs him in the shoulder. Greed almost snaps at him before noticing the shadow at his back. He looks up to see Armstrong staring down at the two of them.</p><p>“The two of you have been really idle in this class,” Armstrong says, with a sigh. “I understand your… lack of motivation, given the situation, but in some respects, the two of you have a great advantage. You can’t waste that opportunity by doing nothing.”</p><p>Clearly, the disbelief written on Greed’s face is evident, because Armstrong pinches the bridge of his nose before he says, “Unlike other students right now, you actually have the benefit of being able to properly communicate with your familiar. While familiars are used for magical combat, that’s not what we’re working on in this class. It’s not about magic, so you don’t have to worry.”</p><p>“Who said I was worried?” Greed asks, indignant. “Do I look like someone who—”</p><p>“You failed all but two of your classes last year, Greed,” Armstrong says, shutting him down. “If you’re not worried, you surely should be. Do you even want to be here?”</p><p>Greed digs his fingers into the soft earth beneath him. He feels a light tug on his jacket, and his gaze flickers towards Ling’s hand on his sleeve.</p><p>He sighs. “I get it,” he says. “But what are we supposed to do now, anyways?”</p><p>“As Hawkeye said, the two of you need a long way to go in communication,” Armstrong says. “But more importantly, you clearly feel uncomfortable with this situation. Ling might not be a magical creature, but since he’s still human, if he learns magic, he might be able to break the familiar bond instead of you.”</p><p>“With all due respect,” Ling pipes up, “I don’t have any education in magic. And from what I’ve heard, this spell is at least somewhat difficult.”</p><p>“It is,” Armstrong agrees. He furrows his brows for a long period of silence, so long that Greed’s attention wanders over to the blades of grass beneath his feet, and is only startled out of his listless staring when Armstrong claps in delight. “Okay, I’ve got it.”</p><p>Greed feels a shiver run down his spine. The air around them is still, and the sun is still high up in the sky, beating down upon them.</p><p>Ling’s grip on his jacket tightens.</p><p>Armstrong points at the two of them. “Since the curriculum, as you’ve demonstrated, doesn’t apply to you,” he says, “I’m giving the two of you an alternate assignment. Greed, you’re going to teach Ling how to do magic. Who knows, you might even learn something from that.”</p><p>With that, Armstrong walks away with a bounce in his step, satisfied with his solution.</p><p>He finally identifies the cold feeling running down his back as dread. Greed turns to Ling. “This is not good,” he says. “I—I can’t teach you. Do I look like a teacher?”</p><p>Ling sighs and releases his grip on Greed’s jacket. “No, you don’t,” he says. “It’s better than what I expected, though.”</p><p>“What did you expect?”</p><p>“It was going to be either me or you that breaks this familiar bond, right?” Ling explains. “And since you seem, well… you know, I thought he would have, well…” There’s a teasing smile on his lips. “A <em>top student</em> teaching me magic. I didn’t expect it would be <em>you</em>.”</p><p>Greed brushes his insulted feelings under the rug and asks, “You don’t want to be tutored by a top student?”</p><p>Ling wrinkles his nose. “Aren’t the top students of this year your family?”</p><p>“What,” Greed says, “you scared?”</p><p>“I’m not scared—”</p><p>“Nah, it’s cool.” Greed cuts him off. “They scare me, too.”</p><p>Ling deflates. “Oh. Okay, then.”</p><p>“I’m not a teacher, though,” Greed muses. “I guess we’ll have to make do with what it is.”</p><p> “Eh,” Ling says, “didn’t he just say you failed your classes? How are you going to teach me anything at all?”</p><p> “I do take notes during class, you know,” he snaps. “And I know you’re not doing that.”</p><p>“Well, obviously I’m not taking notes,” Ling says. “I’m a familiar. Do you see Envy’s snake taking notes? And even if you take notes, they’re clearly not helping you any in the grades department.”</p><p>Greed is three seconds away from strangling this kid. For someone so observant, he can be deliberately obtuse when he feels like it. “Fuck off,” he says, “I know more than you.”</p><p>Ling raises an eyebrow. “Prove it.” His lips twitch like he’s struggling to hold back a smile.</p><p>The bait is obvious; Greed takes it anyways. “You want fucking magical principles?” he says. He doesn’t even have a textbook with him. “I’ll tell you magical principles. Let’s start with something really basic. What are the six domains of magic?”</p><p>Ling blinks at him in surprise, and then laughs, surprising Greed. “Domains? Magic doesn’t have domains.” he laughs. “Really, Greed, no wonder you failed.”</p><p>Greed stares at him. “...Where are you from, again?”</p><p>“Xing,” Ling says. “Maybe I didn’t go to a magic school, but I’m not a complete stranger to magic, okay?”</p><p>He groans. “And they don’t structure magic by... domains, in Xing?”</p><p>“Greed,” Ling says, and it’s the sincerity in his voice that makes it the worst thing Greed’s heard in his life, “I’ve never heard that word in my life.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Okay,” Ling says when class has ended, “There are six domains of magic, and each comprises a different type of magic, which was categorized like this because in the founding history of Amestris, there were six regions that converged into what is now Central, and each represents… a domain?”</p><p>“Right,” Greed says. “Each region of Amestris was particularly gifted in a certain type of magic, which is why we now structure magical theory by each domain. Most people are usually better at a few specific domains than others.”</p><p>“And each domain,” Ling says, carefully reading Greed’s expression to check if he’s right, “is governed by a god. And in ancient history, each region was gifted at a certain type of magic because it was the god they were closest to, and the land around them received the god’s blessing.” Ling frowns. “A <em>god</em>, though,” he says. “That’s… this is real history, right?”</p><p>“Some people call them gods,” Greed says. “But that language is sort of archaic. It would be more accurate to call them… governing entities. While the magic is everywhere, they control the balance of it.”</p><p>“I see,” Ling says. “That makes a little more sense. You could almost say they’re six very powerful mages!”</p><p>Greed shrugs. “In a sense, yeah.”</p><p>Armstrong finally dismisses them, and the two of them head out to the dining hall.</p><p>“Back to my original question,” Greed says, “which you should be able to answer now—what are the six domains of magic?”</p><p>Ling counts out each one on his fingers. “Um, fire, which is… ignis?”</p><p>“The Latin names are bullshit,” Greed interrupts. “Only people who are trying to be too fancy use them. Those names are mostly used to refer to the governing entities of each domain.”</p><p>“Okay,” Ling says, “then your question is easy. Fire, water, earth, air, light, shadow.”</p><p>Greed nods. He wouldn’t exactly say he’s proud, but he does feel pretty good about himself. He points at the insignia on his jacket. “The school logo is the six domains, actually. In this order, it’s fire, earth, light, air, water, shadow. I think that’s just for the color scheme, though.”</p><p>Ling smiles. “Definitely for the color scheme.” He sits down at their table and stares hard at the wooden surface before speaking. “And, for each… god, they’re called, Ignis, Aqua, Terra, Caeli, Lux, and Nox. Right?”</p><p>Greed can’t help himself. He grins and pats Ling’s head. “One hundred percent correct,” he says. “You learn fast.”</p><p>Ling looks up at him with a confused, if happy expression, and Greed realizes this might be the first time he’s been genuinely happy around Ling. “I mean, there’s a lot more you need to know,” he says, drawing his hand back. “But you now have the most basic understanding of magical history.”</p><p>“Amestrian magical history,” Ling says. “I know at least some about magic in Xing.”</p><p>“Really? Tell me.”</p><p>Ling, not for the first time today, looks confused. “You would want to hear that?”</p><p>“Well,” Greed says slowly, “I’m definitely getting food first, but… yeah, why not?”</p><p>“Huh,” Ling says, and Greed leaves before he can unknowingly embarrass himself again.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>Martel, nice to hear from you. They still haven’t found any quick solution, but at least a solution exists. I think you’d like Ling—he’s kind of like you, in some ways. But also kind of like Dolcetto? Anyways, here’s what’s been happening… —Greed</em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>Roa here. I think I speak for all of us when I say that a combination of Martel and Dolcetto sounds absolutely frightening. Glad to see you’re getting along with the kid, though. Has he talked any about his family or where he’s from? You said he talked about magic in Xing, so that’s something, but he’s been pretty tight-lipped on this whole situation. I think he might be homesick, and just doesn’t want to show it. Don’t go up to him outright and ask him weird personal questions about his family or hometown or anything, but just… try to be sensitive? It’s quiet here on our end. The Devil’s Nest has been doing well enough. Maybe you really were driving away our potential customers? We’re all glad to see you making a friend. Just be yourself and it should turn out fine. —Roa</em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>Ling isn’t my friend? And since when do I need advice on making friends? I’m not completely hopeless, you know. It’s good that things are quiet, at least. But don’t think you’re getting rid of me that easily. I’ll try to swing by during winter break. And Bido, thanks for the hard work. — Greed</em>
</p><p>Greed has just placed his letter on the windowsill when he hears a knock at the door. “Come in,” he yells.</p><p>Ling peeks in. “Ready?”</p><p>Greed hoists his bag over his shoulder. “Unfortunately.”</p><p>Ling stares at his window before exiting his room. Greed follows him out the door and almost trips over the person in front of him.</p><p>Edward Elric, of course, is the only person in their year that’s short enough that he can be tripped over. Greed squints down at him. “Hey, pipsqueak,” he says.</p><p>“Ed’s brother, Al, is busy this morning, so I invited him to walk with us,” Ling smoothly cuts in. “Let’s get going.”</p><p>“Do you really have to accompany him around everywhere?” Ed asks. “Isn’t it a nightmare?”</p><p>“I don’t have to follow his every move, but since we sit together in every class, it’s easier to walk with him,” Ling says, bending down to pet the head of Ed’s familiar, a cute golden retriever at odds with his entire personality. “Plus, you’ve seen me when he’s not around. You must know I don’t spend all my time following him. That would be such a waste.”</p><p>“You know, I’m right here,” Greed says.</p><p>“And I know you don’t mind,” Ling answers, which is the truth.</p><p>Ed talks to Ling about something or the other, while Greed locks the door behind him. He zones out as they walk across the campus, paying attention only when Ed and Ling’s conversation has devolved into an angry rant about how annoying it is to cast with only his left hand. “It would be fine if I was ambidextrous,” he says, “but even then, it would be like, I’m ambidextrous, let me cast with both hands.”</p><p>Ed had lost his right arm in a fire when he was younger. It’s not something either of them like to talk about much, so no one really knows how or why it happened, but most people know that general story. Ed’s automail is a piece of particular interest, as the Rockbell family worked on that piece of equipment, and their family is famous for their work in the field of developing magical weaponry. While the last few generations have mostly kept up their automail work and let the other branches of work die out, it’s not a legacy that will vanish in such a short time.</p><p>“Why can’t you cast with your right arm?” Ling asks.</p><p>Ed sighs. “This arm is working perfectly fine, but I can’t use it for magic, because it’s not part of my original body, or something?”</p><p>“Bullshit,” Greed interrupts. “You can totally cast with that arm.”</p><p>Ed frowns. “I’ve tried,” he argues, “it never works. It’s incompatible with wands or any other magical conduit I’ve tried to use.”</p><p>Greed looks at him incredulously. “Use the arm as your magical conduit, nitwit,” he drawls. “Do short people have smaller brains, too?”</p><p>“Don’t call me short!” Ed yells, whirling on him, and then blinks, taken aback. “Wait, that wasn’t a bad idea.”</p><p>“Metal is what we use to channel magic, anyways,” Greed says. “If you’re trying to force magic through your arm metal and then another wand, of course you’re going to fuck things up. You can’t channel magic once and then try to do it again.”</p><p>Ed stares at his arm, deep in thought. “Some of the parts probably need to be changed, but… yeah. That could work.”</p><p>“Ed won’t say it, but he’s thanking you in his heart,” Ling says, and Ed makes a noise of angry protest.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m a genius, whatever,” Greed says with a wave of his hands. “Thanks for the praise.”</p><p>Ed frowns up at him. “I didn’t call you a genius. In fact, didn’t you fail your magical theory class? How do you even know this stuff?”</p><p>“I pay attention,” Greed says. “I can’t do magic, but it doesn’t mean I don’t know things.”</p><p>“I’ll… have to ask you more about your automail idea later, then,” Ed says, as they enter the training grounds and he spots Al. “Ling, see you around. And…” He looks at Greed. “See you around too, I guess.”</p><p>Greed turns to Ling. “That was weird,” he says.</p><p>“Have you never heard of making friends?” Ling says. “Or just being friendly?”</p><p>He shrugs. “It’s not like Ed has ever talked to me before.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Ling says, “because you act really tough and scary and glare at people when they come within five feet of you.”</p><p>“I don’t glare at you,” Greed points out.</p><p>“That’s why I’m still here,” Ling says. “Also, what else could I do?”</p><p>Greed furrows his brows. “Sometimes I think you go with the flow too easily,” he tells Ling.</p><p>“Honestly,” Ling says, “in this situation, is there anything else I could do?”</p><p>“I guess not,” Greed admits. “I can’t think of anything.”</p><p>Hawkeye declares that today will be a round of no-weapons sparring, which is Greed’s specialty. While Ling definitely looks more comfortable with a sword, he has no qualms about a bare-fisted fight, and the two of them together take down most mage and familiar pairs. The one exception to that is Wrath, whose hawk dives down to pierce Ling’s eye before Greed blocks its talons. He winces as the claws dig in.</p><p>Hawkeye determines the match finished and instructs Greed to take a trip to the infirmary. Before they leave, she tells them, “Good work today. Your cooperation has improved since before. Greed, it was good of you to protect Ling. That sort of trust and partnership is exactly what we’re looking for in a familiar bond.”</p><p>“His eye was going to get taken out,” Greed mumbles. “It’s not… it’s not trust, or anything. I was just helping him avoid permanent eye-damage.”</p><p>“Well,” Hawkeye says, “you can choose to see it that way.”</p><p>Ling drags him to the infirmary despite his protests. “You got stabbed,” Ling says. “Maybe not by an actual hawk, but those cuts need to be bandaged, and healed.”</p><p>“They’re fine,” Greed says, and when Ling doesn’t turn and look back, he repeats it more insistently. “They’re fine. Seriously, Ling, just turn around and look—” Greed awkwardly shoves his arm in front of Ling’s face. “See?”</p><p>Wrath’s hawk hadn’t even pierced the skin that deep. Already, the cuts have dried, and the wounds are small, barely noticeable, more like a small cut from a knife than a bird embedding its claws into someone’s skin.</p><p>“That shouldn’t be possible,” Ling says. “I mean, I saw it. Those talons are sharp. And no one can heal that fast.”</p><p>“I have tough skin,” Greed explains. “Sorry for the worry, though.” He waves his mostly-healed arm at Ling’s face again. “It’s all fine.”</p><p>Ling looks at him with an unreadable expression.  “I’m beginning to suspect that you, too, aren’t… most people,” he says.</p><p>“Yeah,” Greed agrees. “I’m the academy’s resident failure. And then I have the strange existence of my family. I don’t think I’ve ever been like most people.”</p><p>Ling opens his mouth, and then closes it.</p><p>“What?” Greed asks.</p><p>“Never mind,” Ling says, and adds, “the more I learn about you, the more confused I get.”</p><p>“Ah,” Greed replies, thinking about all of the times his life has gone wrong, “that, Ling, is just the Greed Experience.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“So,” Greed explains, “the purpose of an incantation is to direct the intent with spoken words. Like I said before, intent is really more of a… feeling. What someone might call willpower. But if you say something out loud, it’s more realized, so that’s why some use incantations.”</p><p>“And they’re all in Latin, because that’s what all these elitist academics were using?” Ling asks. “Because the Latin… I really don’t understand it.”</p><p>“Can’t see any other reason for it,” Greed says. “I mean, our school motto’s in Latin. <em>Memento mori. </em>It means ‘remember you will die’.”</p><p>“That’s… morbid,” Ling says with a wince.</p><p>“It’s boring, is what it is,” Greed says. He digs through his bag before surfacing with an unblemished wand. He runs his hands over the length of the wand, checking for cracks, before passing it over to Ling.</p><p>“Greed!” Armstrong claps his shoulders, and Greed wheezes in surprise. “Nice work. Have you talked to Ling about sensing magic yet?”</p><p>Greed laughs. “Nowhere near that yet.”</p><p>“It’s basic enough,” Armstrong says. “I’d like you both to at least somewhat follow the curriculum. Ling, you were paying attention today, right?”</p><p>Greed catches the flicker of panic on Ling’s face, and says, “Close your eyes and try to feel outwards. You already do that naturally, don’t you? But try harder to pinpoint the parts that feel magical, with intent, rather than free-floating magic.”</p><p>Ling shuts his eyes obediently. After a minute, the tension noticeable leaves his shoulders. “There’s a link… in front of me. Faintly.”</p><p>“Good,” Armstrong encourages, “What’s on the other end?”</p><p>Ling frowns, grasping at the empty air in front of him. “Um…” He shakes his head. “Nothing. There’s nothing.”</p><p>Armstrong frowns and closes his eyes. “You’re right,” he says, puzzled. Ling opens his eyes, looking at Armstrong for an explanation, who just shrugs. “Greed looks as if he almost has no magical core,” Armstrong says. “That must be why it’s hard to sense him.”</p><p>“…Right,” Ling says. “Because he doesn’t have a lot of magical capability?”</p><p>At that, Armstrong sighs. “Unfortunate as it is, yes. But again, good work, Ling.”</p><p>When he leaves, Ling leans in close and whispers in Greed’s ear. “Your magic looks really weird.”</p><p>“I already know I don’t have any,” Greed whispers back. “It’s not a secret.”</p><p>“No, no,” Ling says, “it’s different. I can’t explain it. It’s like… there’s the magic, and then your body is just… a void. I don’t know where the magic goes from there.”</p><p>“What?” Greed says. He’s not quiet this time.</p><p>Ling’s eyes dart around them and he leans back. “Something is strange,” he promises. “Really, something isn’t right.”</p><p>Greed sighs. “Ling,” he says, “I’ve been in worse situations than this. Really, if something is strange, it’s just another thing to add to my list. Let’s get back to work. Try casting a spell from that wand I just handed you.”</p><p>Ling chews on his lip. “…Okay,” he says, finally. “What spell?”</p><p>“Light,” Greed advises. “You know the Latin for that, don’t you?” </p><p>Ling nods, mutters under his breath, and the tip of his wand flickers before emitting a steady white light.</p><p>A bitter, ugly feeling rages through his chest, but Greed clamps it firmly down. The tip of Ling’s wand is brighter than his has ever been.</p><p>Despite his conflicted feelings, Greed smiles. “There you go,” he murmurs. “First ever magic spell. How do you feel?”</p><p>He doesn’t need an answer. Ling stares at him, eyes shining as bright as the glow of his wand.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>Greed, keep your eyes peeled. I know you’re in school, so this probably won’t affect you, but I finally got some news. While no one’s talking about whatever we saw down there, I heard that the sewers in the area we explored are being blocked up. Everyone is being warned away from there. I don’t think you three were supposed to be there, and I think someone—whoever they are—is pretty unhappy that you were there. Stay safe. —Bido</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>yayyyy more magic system explanations! fun fact the six domains are six because i was borrowing from bakugan attribute types. took all the courage in me to not just name them pyrus darkus ventus subterra etc </p><p>in fact, this fic borrows from a variety of different animes (is bakugan an anime? idk) for inspiration, though i think the references have kind of become obscured? but if u recognize any certain elements as something that's similar to an anime (or a videogame), that's why!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>As soon as they’re out of earshot, Ling hisses, “He looked like he was going to murder you!” </p>
<p>“Key word being looked,” Greed retorts. “Look at me. I’m perfectly alive.” </p>
<p>“With a bruise on your shoulder,” Ling says. “Had to be, with that grip.”</p>
<p>“I told you, I have tough skin. There won’t even be a mark.”</p>
<p>“You’re impossible. How are you still alive?”</p>
<p>“Impossibly, of course,” Greed says.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Stay safe? Like you said, I literally can’t leave here. I’m as safe as can be. You need to keep a watch out, though, if you have a bad feeling. In some good news, though, me and Ling are working on a solution. It’ll probably take a few months, but at least class is bearable, now. Yesterday, he… —Greed</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“So,” Greed whispers to Ling, “that’s the basic principles of the domain of fire. And the basic incantation. Got it?”</p>
<p>Ling squints at his paper. “I… think so? But, um…” He flips back to an unintelligible scrawl in his notebook. “You said that magic is driven by… intention, right? So why do I have to bother saying things in Latin. If I just speak words out loud, shouldn’t it be fine since I’m still speaking and reaffirming the intent?”</p>
<p>Greed sighs, taking a quick glance back at the front of the room. “Yeah,” he says, “you have a point there, I’ll tell you later—”</p>
<p>“Greed,” the professor announces. Greed can’t remember his name, but he vaguely registers the annoyed face as a look he’d faced a lot last year. He tries his best not to hunch in his seat as everyone swivels in their seats to see him. Did no one remember things like common decency or manners? “Care to repeat what I was just teaching, Greed?”</p>
<p>“Something about familiars…?” Greed guesses, and the professor’s face turns stony. “Sorry, I can’t remember the details,” he blatantly lies. “Care to repeat what you were just teaching?”</p>
<p>The professor holds his gaze for a few more seconds before turning to the rest of the class. “As I was saying,” he bites out, “the greatest advantage of possessing a familiar is the aspect of magical augmentation.”</p>
<p>He raises an eyebrow. “Since you clearly know something about what we’re doing in class today, would you like to explain it to us, Greed?”</p>
<p>Greed wonders why professors always like to repeat his name like they’re cursing something. After all, he’s already being stared at. He knows he’s being talked to. “Sure,” he says with a shrug. “Magical augmentation is the general field of study that seeks to improve people’s magical capabilities. Most activities related to it are illegal, because they fall into the category of human experimentation.”</p>
<p>A hush falls over the classroom. The professor awkwardly clears his throat. “While there are a few individuals who are… on the extremes, that is common for just about every magical subject. Magical augmentation, as we speak about it today, is specifically about the idea of a familiar. Could anyone tell me why a familiar would fall under this category?”</p>
<p>Al raises his hand. His other hand is occupied by the cat near him, and he pets it a few times when the professor points towards him. Judging by its continued presence in the class, it’s probably his familiar and not a stray. “A familiar is summoned from the magical realm,” Al says. “But other than the original magical expenditure, a familiar requires no conscious thought to maintain, or magical energy to keep around you. The bond is created during the ritual, and the only other magic involved is the magic needed to break that bond.”</p>
<p>The professor nods. “Excellent. That is the basic reason why we’re talking about familiars in this class. While your other classes have mostly put the focus on bonding and communicating with your familiar, in my class you’ll begin to understand what makes them truly useful. Familiars are entities made out of almost pure magic.”</p>
<p>Greed and Ling share a look of weariness. Ling snickers a little, and points at his face, mouthing ‘who, me?’ before he starts writing.</p>
<p>“Familiars are almost an extra magical reservoir,” the professor continues. “While you can command them to do different types of work for you, their true power lies in their magical capabilities. By harnessing the energy and magic of their own familiar, a mage can pull off magic spells with much more power than they might usually have.”</p>
<p>Al raises his hand, and when the professor nods at him, asks, “Would a familiar suffer from magical exhaustion or any other consequences from having its magic depleted like that? Since they’re made of magic, if it lost a lot of magic, wouldn’t it hurt?”</p>
<p>“Interesting,” the professor says. “To answer your question, if you theoretically pulled all the magic from a familiar, the familiar bond would break as it would presumably die or cease to exist. However, breaking the familiar bond already is a great magical expense, and would render the benefits of pulling all of that magic null. So, such a thing has never been recorded. As long as you do it properly, nothing bad should happen.”</p>
<p>Al relaxes a little. “Okay, that’s good, then.”</p>
<p>“Any other questions?”</p>
<p>Greed raises his hand.</p>
<p>“<em>Not</em> from you, Greed.”</p>
<p>“What were you going to ask him?” Ling whispers, jabbing him in the side. “You don’t have to be so confrontational all the time.”</p>
<p>“I was going to ask a borderline illegal question,” Greed says. “I mean, did you see his face when I responded? He looks like someone who would know the answer to that kind of question.”</p>
<p>Ling sighs. “You’re so stupid sometimes, I can’t believe you.”</p>
<p>“Deal with it,” Greed snaps, just as the professor dismisses them. He raises an eyebrow at Ling. “Want me to ask him now?”</p>
<p>“Definitely not,” Ling says, but Greed is already walking up to the professor.</p>
<p>“Greed,” the professor says, “I’m not here to entertain you.”</p>
<p>“No, no, I have a real question,” Greed says, waving off his complaints. Without waiting for any response from his professor, he jumps into it: “Since familiars aren’t technically all magic, is it theoretically possible to pull magic out of other humans?” The professor stares at him. “I wouldn’t do it, because that’s horribly illegal and generally horrible,” Greed says. He doesn’t mention that he knows people who would consider it. It’s not a lie if he just doesn’t mention it, right?</p>
<p>“…<em>Only</em> theoretically,” the professor answers, placing a hand on Greed’s shoulder. “And you have to know that, Greed. It is <em>only</em> theoretical.”</p>
<p>“I won’t say anything,” Greed promises, and he actually means it. The professor’s grip digs into Greed’s shoulder for a painful moment, and then the pressure softens.</p>
<p>“Let’s go,” Ling says from behind them, and the professor releases his vice grip on Greed. Greed looks between the two of them, and leaves with Ling before things get too strange. As soon as they’re out of earshot, Ling hisses, “He looked like he was going to murder you!”</p>
<p>“Key word being looked,” Greed retorts. “Look at me. I’m perfectly alive.”</p>
<p>“With a bruise on your shoulder,” Ling says. “Had to be, with that grip.”</p>
<p>“I told you, I have tough skin. There won’t even be a mark.”</p>
<p>“You’re impossible. How are you still alive?”</p>
<p>“Impossibly, of course,” Greed says. He shrugs his jacket off once they walk outside the main building. The sun outside is bright today, and though they’re in autumn weather, it’s still warm on some days. “And I wasn’t trying to antagonize him. Well, I was, but it wasn’t the reason I did it.”</p>
<p>“…You’re not going to tell me the reason, are you,” Ling says after a minute.</p>
<p>“It’s a long story,” Greed says. “And confusing.”</p>
<p>“That’s your entire life,” Ling says, exasperated. “And it’s only confusing because you haven’t explained it to me.”</p>
<p>“What about you?” Greed says, changing the subject. “It’s not like I know much about you.”</p>
<p>Ling pulls his jacket tighter around him. “It’s not important,” he says.</p>
<p>“Right,” Greed drawls, and makes a mental note of it in his head. “Not important at all. I’ll never ask again.”</p>
<p>“Good,” Ling says, and Greed has the sudden realization that Ling is frazzled. </p>
<p>It’s not a state he’s used to seeing Ling in, and it makes him want to push it a little more, see exactly what Ling might reveal of himself if he’s a little more on edge than usual. But Greed remembers being pushed to the limit and almost breaking down from the weight of it, and it’s hard to be able to push that same weight onto someone else. Greed had been seventeen not that long ago, but if he were face to face with that person again, he’s not sure he would be able to recognize them. He thinks that if he saw that person again, he would feel nothing but an immeasurable sort of pity. </p>
<p>Greed wonders what Ling would think of how he was at seventeen. He wonders, though the logistics of them meeting would be impossible, if they would have been friends. </p>
<p>He decides he’s done enough antagonizing for today. “You asked why the incantations are in Latin, right?” After seeing Ling nod, he walks into the dorms, making sure Ling follows him in. “While speaking your intention in any language is fine, the magic is already in your magical core. It doesn’t really need to hear your voice. Latin is important because historically, everyone had done the same exact action in the same way, with the same words. The magic in Amestris feels that history of intentions when you speak in Latin, and it responds to it because of that. If it heard you speak in Xingese, or me in Amestrian, it wouldn’t nearly mean as much.”</p>
<p>“That’s only here, though,” Ling says.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s only here,” Greed says. “And it works particularly well because everyone in his city loves the Latin incantations. Again, while incantations are a helpful crutch, they’re more trouble than they’re worth. It’s best to go wordless.”</p>
<p>“Why do you know so many incantations, if they’re so useless?” Ling asks. “Is the curriculum like that for the whole first year?”</p>
<p>“I needed all the help I could get,” he says with a laugh, and unlocks the door to his room. He waves Ling inside. “Come on, let’s do some simple practice.”</p>
<p>“What if I burn your room?” Ling asks, but he still shuffles in.</p>
<p>“It’s been through worse,” Greed says. “Trust me.”</p>
<p>“I’ve never seen you cast magic before,” Ling says. “Is it really that bad?”</p>
<p>Greed digs through his bag for his wand. It’s buried deep underneath something vaguely slimy. He pulls it out with a grimace. “It’s really that bad,” he says. He stares at it, deep in thought. “Hey, Ling, we talked about the water domain, right?”</p>
<p>“Right,” Ling says, “I casted that basic water spell a few days ago. Haven’t gotten around to shaping it yet like you said, though.”</p>
<p>“No, that’s good,” Greed says, sliding his thumb up the side until he finds the crack at the tip of the wand. He spins his wand in a quick circle and calmly casts the basic spell for fire. When gone right, fire should glow like a candle at the tip of his wand. Unlike a candle, though, the fire can’t be extinguished by blowing on it.</p>
<p>Of course, the spell doesn’t go right.</p>
<p>“Oh my god!” Ling shrieks, voice cracking. “Greed! Your hand!”</p>
<p>He had, to some extent, predicted the explosive response. The hope was that his wand would simply explode into splinters and turn into smoke, but instead, it burst into flames. For a moment, Greed stares at the bright glow of the fire, and then he comes to his senses. Even he’s not invincible. “Water spell,” Greed yells. “Now.”</p>
<p>“I—okay!” Ling yells, and he jabs his wand at Greed’s hand. A spray of water comes out from his wand, dousing Greed’s hand and leaving a wet pile of charred wood in his head.</p>
<p>He winces. “Let’s head to the infirmary.”</p>
<p>“I cannot believe—” Ling says, shaking his head, and then his eyes linger on Greed’s hand before he sighs. “Yeah. Let’s, um, let’s go.”</p>
<p>“I’m not an idiot,” Greed feels the need to explain as they walk in subdued silence. “Most of the time, I do know what I’m doing. It just… it’s not usually that bad of a result. Well, not recently, anyways.”</p>
<p>“I just… I worried,” Ling mutters. “I mean, maybe it doesn’t matter to you, but what if I hadn’t been able to cast that spell? What if I was nervous? What if I wasn’t there?”</p>
<p>“I probably would have dunked it in the sink,” Greed assures. “And on the bright side, now you know you can cast under pressure. Most people here don’t work nearly as well under pressure.”</p>
<p>Ling scowls. “I already know I work well under pressure,” he says. “You don’t have to test it.”</p>
<p>“That was mostly an accident,” he says. “I was really just trying to show what it’s like when I cast magic. I figured that a demonstration would be the easiest way to do it.”</p>
<p>“By setting yourself on <em>fire</em>?” Ling asks, anger clear on his face.</p>
<p>“More of a controlled explosion,” he says. Ling doesn’t respond, mouth drawn into a thin line. Greed sighs. “Look, I’m sorry,” he says. “It was a stupid thing to do. But now you know, okay?”</p>
<p>They walk into the infirmary. Greed nods towards the nurse shuffling through some paperwork, and offers his hand out. She looks at the two of them with a confused expression before seeing Greed’s hand.</p>
<p>“Another injury?” she comments with a sigh. “I thought you’d learned after last year.”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Won’t happen again,” Greed mumbles as she casts a quick healing spell.</p>
<p>“That should do. Now get out of my hair. I don’t want to see you for another month.”</p>
<p>Greed motions at Ling to leave, and tucks his hands in his pockets. It’s suddenly too cold.</p>
<p>“I didn’t want to know like that,” Ling speaks up, after staring at the ground on the whole way back to the dorms. He looks unreasonably frustrated. “Just… an explanation would do.”</p>
<p>“It’s the most comprehensive explanation there is,” Greed says. “Maybe it wasn’t the right thing to do, but you really know now, don’t you?” He wrings his hands, looking far up into the sky, and laughs bitterly. “I’m hopeless. You’ve accomplished more in a few weeks than I have in over a year. And you don’t even have a proper teacher.”</p>
<p>Ling pauses by Greed’s front door. “Why… do you know why your magic is like that?” he asks. “I mean, if you had zero magical capability, I thought that you wouldn’t even be able to do magic spells. I didn’t think they would go so wrong.”</p>
<p>Greed shrugs, trying to be nonchalant. “I’ve wondered that too, but there’s no explanation for it,” he says. “Father is an alumni of the school, and really rich, which is why I’m still here, but I’d rather not be, most days.”</p>
<p>“But you’re good at magic,” Ling says slowly, like he’s working out a very strange problem. “I know you’re good at magic. All of this magical theory, you make sense of it, and you know all of it. You pay attention in class, when you’re not teaching me.” He frowns. “What’s wrong? It can’t be that you don’t have any magic. It’s there, in your wand, when you tried to cast that spell. I can feel it. So I know—”</p>
<p>“You don’t know,” Greed interrupts. Ling opens his mouth, but Greed keeps talking before he can get a word in. “The thing is, Ling, as strange as the situation seems, sometimes you just can’t explain things. I’ve been asking myself these same questions and haven’t found any answer, and it’s been a year? Could you honestly look me in the eyes and say you could do better?”</p>
<p>Ling’s lip wobbles. “It’s not <em>right</em>—”</p>
<p>“No,” Greed says, weary, “It’s not right.” He awkwardly pats Ling’s shoulder. “Just… don’t feel too bad about it.”</p>
<p>For all his efforts, Ling sighs again. “Doesn’t it bother you?” he asks. “It bothers me.”</p>
<p>He means to say that it doesn’t bother him when he opens his mouth, but what comes out instead is a buried confession: “The first family dinner we had after I entered this academy… Father told me I didn’t have a soul, and therefore I couldn’t have a magical core. He said that was the reason I couldn’t do magic. And after saying that, I still had to go to class. And I still have to even now. It… it didn’t bother me, until then. Now, here… yeah, it bothers me.” He pokes Ling in the face. “But hey. That’s not your problem, okay? You don’t have to worry about me. We’ll get this familiar bond sorted out, and things will be fine.”</p>
<p>Ling stares at him. “Thanks, I guess,” he says, after a long moment. His eyes dart around the halls before he realizes they’re empty, and he relaxes. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Greed?”</p>
<p>He nods. squeezing Ling’s shoulder in reassurance before he lets go.</p>
<p>“Okay,” Ling says with a smile. “See you then, Greed.”</p>
<p>He’s become desensitized to his name over the years, and these days, he forgets the strange circumstances of its creation. When Ling says it, though, he’s reminded a little of the Dublith gang, and reminded that when it’s said out loud, plain and simple, it feels like a name and not a curse.</p>
<p>Ling, too. Rather than another curse in the unfortunate events of Greed’s life, these days he feels more like just a friendly kid. It’s been a while since he’s met someone so concerned about him.</p>
<p>It’s a nice feeling.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Greed wakes up sprawled out on the wooden floor of his room, blinking his eyes open in the still dark, and finds a blade pointed at his throat.</p>
<p>He can’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu.</p>
<p>“Ling?” Greed asks, still a little sleepy. He blinks and the face in front of him—or, to be more accurate, the mask—comes in focus.</p>
<p>There’s no response. Instead, the person clutching the dagger tightens their grip.</p>
<p>“Okay, definitely not Ling,” Greed hastily concludes. “Who are you, though?” He reaches up and grabs the sharp blade of the dagger. It sends a sharp spike of pain when it pierces through his skin, but he grits his teeth and twists the dagger out of their grip before pushing himself off the floor.</p>
<p>Ling’s probably still in his dorm room, sound asleep, so it looks like Greed will have to deal with this situation himself. He takes a quick survey of the room, grabbing a wooden staff propped up against the wall for self-defense. His eyes quickly fall on the open window, and he sighs.</p>
<p>“That would be it,” he mutters, and before he can catch a breath, the masked intruder has pulled out another dagger from their cloak and dashed towards him.</p>
<p>Greed registers a faint knocking by his door and wonders if there’s going to be a noise complaint. He hears a muffled voice from the door and shouts, “A little busy right now!”</p>
<p>The masked intruder makes a few more swipes at him, but Greed manages to narrowly dodge. He almost stumbles into his desk but manages to twist himself around, and thinks he’s gained the upper hand when he kicks out at their face. When he turns around, though, there’s a second figure in the room, also clutching a blade.</p>
<p>Greed feels a chill in the air. His eyes fart left and right. The two masked people adjust their grip on their blades, and—</p>
<p>“Stop!” Ling is standing in the doorway, face flushed. He repeats the word in Xingese and barks an order towards the two of them. </p>
<p>“Do you know them?” Greed asks, as the two masked people slowly lower their weapons. Ling speaks in Xingese again, and after a short conversation, the two take off their masks, revealing the faces of a young girl and an old man.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Ling says. He glances towards the door. “Also, I melted your lock. Sorry.”</p>
<p>Greed grins despite the confusing situation. “You cast the spell for fire properly, then?”</p>
<p>Ling looks uncomfortable at the praise, but he nods.</p>
<p>The girl begins to say something, but Ling cuts her off with a short wave of his hand. He turns to Greed. “Greed, this is Lan Fan and Fu. They’re from Xing.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Greed says, even though he doesn’t understand anything. He looks curiously at the two people in front of him. The girl seems especially angry. Though she’s put back her dagger, she’s still shaking with anger.</p>
<p>“You!” she yells, and Greed sighs. They’re definitely getting a noise complaint.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s me,” he says agreeably.</p>
<p>“You!” the girl repeats. “You’ve... you’ve been making Young Master sleep on the <em>floor</em>!”</p>
<p>He frowns. “Young master? You mean Ling? He’s not sleeping on the floor. He has his own room. And what do you mean by young master?”</p>
<p>She glares at him. “How can you not know? You’re standing before the prince of Xing! And he sleeps right outside your door! How could you do that?”</p>
<p>Greed blinks. “…Sorry, <em>what</em>?”</p>
<p>“I had a bad feeling about something,” Ling says, “so I tend to keep watch during the night. Lan Fan just misunderstood it to think that you were forcing me into something.”</p>
<p>“No, no,” Greed says, shaking his head. “That… whatever. It’s whatever. You’re a <em>prince</em>?”</p>
<p>“He is <em>the</em> prince,” Fu says, solemnly. “And you’ve taken him hostage.”</p>
<p>Greed doesn’t know what to do. He laughs. “Hostage?” he asks. “Does he look like a hostage?”</p>
<p>“Don’t disrespect the young master!” Lan Fan exclaims. “He’s far too good for someone like you!”</p>
<p>“Hey,” Greed says, “What do you even know about me? Don’t judge people so easily.” He looks at Ling again. “You’re a prince?” he repeats in bewilderment, and Ling nods.</p>
<p>“I... am the last prince of Xing,” Ling says, after a long silence. “My country was in the midst of a succession war when I was transported here. These two are my retainers—Lan Fan, and her grandfather, Fu.”</p>
<p>A cacophony of voices echo from down the hall, and Lan Fan and Fu’s eyes widen. They quickly put their masks back on.</p>
<p>“We’ll meet later tonight,” Ling says, and they glance at each other before nodding.</p>
<p>“What,” Wrath says, “is going on here so <em>early</em> in the morning—”</p>
<p>They’re already gone. Other than the slightly ajar window, there’s no other trace of their presence. Even Greed has a hard time believing that what just happened was actually real.</p>
<p>Greed turns towards Wrath and smiles. “Nothing,” he says. “Would you like some tea?”</p>
<p>Wrath looks to be two seconds away from strangling him. He’s clearly not a morning person. “Be quiet,” he hisses.</p>
<p>Greed mock-salutes him. “Got it,” he says, and Wrath glares at him for one last time before he leaves, door half-open because he knows Greed hates it.</p>
<p>With everyone but Ling gone, Greed finally deflates, pocketing his broken lock, and closing the door shut. Then he collapses back on his bed.</p>
<p>Ling is hovering awkwardly above him. He exhales shakily. “Look, Greed...”</p>
<p>“Don’t,” Greed snaps, and then sighs. He’s not a morning person either. “Just don’t say anything,” he mumbles. “I’m really tired right now. You’re… you’re a prince or whatever. And you didn’t tell me. And I had to find out by having your bodyguards try to stab me. And…” He buries his head in his pillow.</p>
<p>“I couldn’t tell you,” Ling whispers. “That… it’s the type of secret I can’t reveal. You must know that.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Greed says, sighing. “I know. I know, just… leave me alone. I’m tired. I need to sleep.” When Ling doesn’t move, Greed repeats himself: “I’m tired. I need to sleep. Go back to your room. And don’t try to sleep outside my door.”</p>
<p>He waits a moment or two, and then hears Ling’s retreating footsteps.</p>
<p>Greed muffles his groan in a pillow. The amount of information he’s just been given should beat out any need to sleep, and indeed, his mind is buzzing with confusion. At the same time, though, the sky is barely light, so Greed tosses and turns in bed until the exhaustion sets in and he falls back asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ok so even though the publish date for this looks to be monday, it's still sunday my time and despite how u.s. calendars work thats the end of the week. so it counts. i got a bit swamped up with real life stuff, so that's why this is late, though! i hope u all liked lan fan bc she is my favorite and i love her. </p>
<p>rip greed tho. dude gets a sword pointed at him way too many times</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The two of them stare at each other. The rain still hasn’t let up.</p><p>Greed can’t sense magic, but he can feel the line of the familiar bond tangled between them, tying them down to each other.</p><p>Ling looks like he’s seeing it, too.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Greed wakes up pissed-off, disgruntled, and with a scratchy throat. There’s a deep chill in the air of his room. Outside, the rain is rushing down to the ground, creating a rumbling blanket of sound. He claws out of the bed and registers an insistent knocking at his door. Greed pulls the blanket tighter around him. </p><p>The knocking doesn’t stop. He sighs and drags himself out of bed, still blinking the sleep out of his eyes and he swings the door open. </p><p>Roy Mustang and two other staff members greet him on the other side of the door. “We received an alert that something was amiss here in the early morning?” </p><p>“Ah,” Greed says, stifling a yawn. “What about it?” </p><p>“It was just a noise complaint, but your younger brother insisted, so I did a cursory magical investigation,” Roy says. “Did you know the wards on your window are broken?”</p><p>Greed blinks slowly. “No?”</p><p>Miraculously, Roy seems to believe him. Maybe he’s mistaken Greed’s grogginess for genuine confusion. Or maybe he’s just seen how tired he is and is sparing him from an explanation. Roy steps further into the room and walks up to the window, fiddling around with the runes scratched onto the side of the wall. “These are decimated beyond repair,” Roy says. “I could put up a barrier or something, but I don’t deal much with wards nowadays, and it won’t fit in with the rest of the wards.” He points to the two staff members hovering by the door. “Contact the main office and have them send in a specialist.” </p><p>After the two leave, Roy paces around the room once before turning towards Greed. “Tired?” </p><p>“Didn’t get much sleep last night,” Greed says, and yawns. “Obviously.” </p><p>“Your wards will probably take a week to get fixed,” Roy says. “I don’t think you’ll be fending off any assassination attempts from your window, but keep an eye out.”</p><p><em>Too late for that</em>, Greed thinks. “Sure.”</p><p>Roy squints at him suspiciously. For a moment Greed thinks he’s about to be clocked for breaking the wards himself, and scrambles to think of any excuse,  but Roy just asks, “Are you doing okay?” </p><p>Greed frowns. “I’m fine.” </p><p>“You just look a bit under the weather,” Roy says. They both glance outside the window at the dull, monotonous rain. </p><p>“Just tired,” Greed says. “I’ll be fine.” </p><p>“Take it easy, then,” Roy replies, and exits the room. </p><p>Greed sinks back into the mattress. It still feels as dark as it was a few hours ago, with the rain shrouding the sky. It’s a week before the wards on his window return. That’s at least enough time to send a message to the Dublith gang. Besides, it’s only a month until winter break. Once that rolls around, he’ll be able to visit the Devil’s Nest, and get away from… all of this. </p><p>“Greed,” Ling calls, from just outside the doorway. His voice is oddly quiet.</p><p><em>The prince of Xing</em>, Greed thinks. <em>The only prince of Xing</em>. He listens to the sound of the rain. “Ling,” he says.</p><p>“We’re going to be late.” Ling’s voice is flat.</p><p>Greed pushes himself off the bed. “Ten minutes,” he says. “I’ll meet you outside.”</p><p>“I—I think I’ll just go ahead,” Ling says, shifting his feet.</p><p>Greed stares at him. “Okay,” he says.</p><p>“Okay,” Ling parrots back. And then he’s gone in a flash.</p><p>Ling has always had this particular way of moving when he’s running; it’s a type of movement that minimizes the sound he makes to near nothingness. Greed had always thought it was because of some particular fighting style he’d picked up. That thought still holds true, but it rings a little different in his mind.</p><p>He sighs and stares up at the ceiling. Outside, the rain is still pouring loud.</p><p>“Okay,” Greed says to the empty air. “Okay.”</p><p>Today will be a long day.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>Hey, guys. It seems like the wards on this window are going to be fixed during this week. We probably won’t get to talk until winter break. I guess we can figure something out then. See you soon. —Greed</em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Alright,” Hawkeye says. “It’s raining outside today, so we’ll be taking up the indoor facility. I don’t think any of us envy the task of whoever needs to pick up weapons from our training shed, so today we’ll be doing some bare-handed combat. While most of you will specialize in a certain type of weapon both for casting and fighting, knowing to fight with your bare hands is important, especially if you’re caught by surprise. Most of you should have a solid foundation from last year.”</p><p>Greed relaxes a little. He’s always been best at hand-to-hand, and considering that style of combat isn’t that compatible with a magical weapon, it makes all the more sense he’s good at it.</p><p>Hawkeye quickly scans the room, and then points him out. “Greed.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“We’re dealing with an odd number of student-familiar pairs, so you and Ling will be sparring against each other for today. That might seem antithetical to bonding with your familiar, but you’ll be able to learn more about how someone fights if you’re on the opposite side. By the end of this class, you’ll have a greater understanding of each other.”</p><p>He nods, blindsided. This is a new thing. He hasn’t fought against Ling since the first time they met, and Ling doesn’t have a sword now.</p><p>Hawkeye claps her hands. “Spread out across the room. And don’t get too rough!”</p><p>Greed and Ling naturally gravitate towards a corner. “So…” Greed begins.</p><p>Ling refuses to meet his eyes. Really, if anyone should be avoiding anyone, Greed should be avoiding Ling. In fact, he should be angry at him. He is angry at him. But more than angry, he’s tired, and uncomfortably disappointed.</p><p>Ling’s gaze flickers towards him for a moment, and then he settles into a fighting stance. Greed mirrors his pose.</p><p>Some things don’t need words to be said. Greed focuses on the feel of the ground between his feet, and watches as Ling settles into a scary focus. There is a string pulled taut between them.</p><p>He’d brushed it off before, but it’s there, in the way Ling carries himself. A royal, dignified feeling. An uncanny level of grace.</p><p>The string snaps.</p><p>Ling throws the first punch, and Greed ducks out of the way, swinging at Ling with a wide kick. It’s like a dance, the rhythm the two of them settle into, a vicious push and pull, kick and punch and dodge, the flash of sudden realization thundering through Greed’s mind like the weather outside.</p><p>It’s strange. It’s an uncomfortable, visceral feeling, the chasm that’s suddenly opened between them. It feels like the rug has been pulled under his feet. No, rather, it feels like the way someone might feel if they were kicked out of their bed and tumbled onto the floor.</p><p>Ling lands a kick at his legs and Greed stumbles, narrowly avoiding the next punch Ling throws.</p><p>This is not a greater understanding.</p><p>His throat feels tight and scratchy. Ling is the only person he knows that has ever been inside his family manor.</p><p>Greed gets on his feet and manages to land a sharp blow to Ling’s stomach. The both of them are breathing heavy. Greed isn’t crying, but his vision is blurry, anyways.</p><p>He dodges a punch thrown at his face, but doesn’t dodge the second one in time, and wheezes. His entire body feels like it’s burning.</p><p>Ling knows his family, and on some level, he knows what they’re like, what they’ve done to him—Ling knows what he is scared of, what he cares about, and he knows his magic. Ling apparently sleeps outside his door because he’s <em>worried</em>—</p><p>“That’s enough!”</p><p>Hawkeye’s voice pulls him out of his thoughts. Greed collapses into a sitting position on the floor. He coughs. It’s still burning, the thoughts whirling around his head, so much it’s making him dizzy.</p><p>“I appreciate the intensity of combat,” she says, crouching down next to him, “and none of you were unnecessarily violent. But you two need to take a break.”</p><p>Greed nods. He thinks he can sense Ling crouch down a few feet away.</p><p>Hawkeye sits by his side. “Greed,” she says. “Look at me.”</p><p>He turns his head towards her and blinks in quick succession, trying to focus. “I’ll be fine,” he says. “I just wasn’t focusing.”</p><p>“I’m not here to criticize your combat ability,” Hawkeye says. “Though there are some notes I have on your form. You just need to know your own limits.” She pauses. Greed squeezes his eyes shut. It’s loud, the sound of his heart. Loud as the rain beating down the rooftop. “Greed, are you sick?”</p><p>He freezes. Quietly, he looks at his palms, a burning, splotchy pink. His vision dips in and out of focus. The sound of the rain seems to grow louder. “I might be.”</p><p>Hawkeye sighs. “Ling, take Greed to the infirmary. You two are excused from classes for the rest of the day. I’ll notify your teachers and have someone bring assignments to you, if need be. Rest well and recover.”</p><p>Ling pulls Greed to a standing position. “Don’t be difficult,” he says.</p><p>“I can walk on my own,” Greed mutters. “Also, you can’t take me to the infirmary. I’ll get kicked out. Just take me to the dorms instead.”</p><p>Ling sighs. “This is what I meant by being difficult.”</p><p>It’s surprisingly natural, to have Ling drag him through the academy grounds. Greed feels like there should be a pervading sense of wrongness that accompanies them throughout the walk. And there is an awkward feeling between them, because Ling still doesn’t talk, and Greed still feels out of his element, still feels irrationally angry, still feels like he doesn’t know anything about what’s going on.</p><p>But while they’re walking, it’s quiet, even in his mind. There’s just the sound of the rain.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Get out,” the nurse says.</p><p>“But—”</p><p>“Get out,” the nurse repeats. “I do not have time to attend to a troublemaker like you.”</p><p>“He’s sick!” Ling protests.</p><p>She sighs and drags Greed into a chair. As she goes through a series of check-ups, she says, “You know, his whole first year, he would come in with these injuries that looked <em>terrible</em>, and I’d have to drop whatever I was doing and check on it, only there would be no injury at all! I understand you’re new here, but you really don’t have to worry about him.” </p><p>“Being sick is different from a physical injury, though.” </p><p>She ignores him and addresses Greed. “Like I thought, you’re fine. Take a rest in your dorm and recover.” </p><p>“Come on,” Greed says, already heading towards the exit. “I told you so.”</p><p>Ling makes a frustrated noise, but drags Greed out of the building. He can walk on his own just fine, but Ling keeps a steady grip on his arm. It’s still raining.</p><p>“I don’t have an umbrella,” Ling says. “Sorry.”</p><p>“You have a wand, don’t you?” After Ling nods, Greed points at the sky and says, “See if you can mold the water with your wand so it doesn’t fall on you.”</p><p>“Teaching, even at this time?” Ling laughs.</p><p>He frowns. “I wouldn’t consider it teaching. It was just a suggestion.”</p><p>“Right, right,” Ling says. “Because you’re a bad teacher.”</p><p>“…Yeah?”</p><p>Ling groans. “Sorry for avoiding you,” he says.</p><p>“Technically, I avoided you first.”</p><p>“I’m trying to apologize!”</p><p>“I know,” Greed says. “Or, I don’t really know.”</p><p>“You will,” Ling says. “I’ll explain things to you.”</p><p>“Not in the rain.”</p><p>“No,” Ling agrees, waving his wand in a circle, “not in the rain.”</p><p>Above the two of them, the droplets of rain flatten out into a sheet of water. It’s cold.</p><p>Greed stares up at the water surrounding them. “You’ve improved,” he says.</p><p>Ling looks at him with <em>obviously</em> written all over his face. “Like you said,” Ling says, “intention drives magic.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>After a fresh shower and a change of clothes, Greed is feeling considerably more like himself. He checks the window to find that his letter is gone, and then perches on the bed.</p><p>Ling is sitting on the nightstand. He’s staring at the far side of the wall, unblinking.</p><p>“You said you were going to explain things,” Greed says.</p><p>“Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” Ling asks.</p><p>“If I was going to sleep, you wouldn’t be here.”</p><p>Ling laughs. “Fair point.” He stretches his arms out in front of him. “Where should I start?”</p><p>“So… you’re a prince,” Greed says. “And according to Fu, <em>the</em> prince.”</p><p>Ling’s expression turns serious. “I am,” he says. “See, my father—the emperor—is close to his deathbed. I don’t… he’s not a good person. So I’m not sad. But I’m the first in line for succession. Currently, different families are vying for the throne, so they were trying to keep me safe in the castle.”</p><p>“Okay,” Greed says after a long silence. “I think maybe now I know why you were lying to me. Are you sure you should even be telling me now?”</p><p>Ling ducks his head. “I couldn’t really tell you country secrets. But now that we’re here, well—” He stares at Greed. “You wouldn’t dare tell anybody else, right?”</p><p>“I wouldn’t,” Greed confirms.</p><p>“Good, because I’d have to kill you otherwise,” Ling says. “Once I ascend, the palace officials are going to try to make me a puppet ruler. The two you met this morning—Lan Fan and Fu—are my retainers. They’re the only people I can trust. Our plan was to lie low, keep myself safe, and then try to resolve all that political conflict and mess once I come into power. And then I found myself halfway across the world.”</p><p>“Oh,” Greed says. “No wonder you tried to stab me.”</p><p>“I thought you could be a political enemy,” Ling says. “And it never hurts to be safe.” He holds up a small stone in his hand. “Lan Fan and Fu probably tracked me down through this.”</p><p>“That’s… you have a lot to deal with,” Greed says. He squints at Ling. “You’re actually seventeen, though?”</p><p>“I am,” Ling says. “Lan Fan is actually a year younger than me. I know I seem young, but I’ve grown up like this.”</p><p>“And that’s the truth,” Greed mumbles, more to himself than anyone else.</p><p>“It’s the truth,” Ling says. “There are more intricacies to it, but that’s the basics of it. As for the current situation in Xing, I asked my retainers to drop by the day after tomorrow to keep me updated.”</p><p>“In this room?” Greed asks. “I don’t think they can get in through your window.”</p><p>“Is that okay?”</p><p>“Sure,” he says, shrugging. “I’ll make myself scarce.”</p><p>Ling smiles. “Thank you, Greed. Does that answer most of your questions?”</p><p>This is his familiar. The prince of Xing, Ling Yao. Everything about this school feels insignificant in comparison.</p><p>“I’ve got one more, actually,” Greed says. “What are you going to do now?”</p><p>The two of them stare at each other. The rain still hasn’t let up.</p><p>Greed can’t sense magic, but he can feel the line of the familiar bond tangled between them, tying them down to each other.</p><p>Ling looks like he’s seeing it, too. “I don’t know.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>This evening’s weather is cloudy, but not disgustingly humid, and Greed is spending his evening crouched right next to the window by his dorm, accidentally eavesdropping on a conversation that involved the future of Xing.</p><p>This was not his plan for the night.</p><p>Once Fu and Lan Fan had tumbled into the windows, Greed had, as promised, made himself scarce, exiting the dorm to take a stroll around the academy. He’d recovered from his fever with just a good night’s sleep, and Ling had seemed much more relaxed the next morning. Greed doesn’t feel the same sense of security with Ling that he used to, but thinking about it, Ling’s presence has never been one that made someone feel things like safe and secure. They hadn’t been conjoined at the hip before Greed knew Ling was a prince, and there’s no reason that talking things out a bit should suddenly make them inseparable.</p><p>And Lan Fan hadn’t tried to stab him this time, so he chalks the event up as mostly a success. Speaking of, he actually hasn’t asked Ling why he was so worried, or checked to see if Ling is actually sleeping in a bed like a normal human being should do. He supposed they’ll cross that bridge when they get there. If they ever do get there, that is.</p><p>Right now, from the sounds of it, Lan Fan and Fu are trying to desperately bring Ling back to Xing with them. Greed is sitting on the balcony by his window, wondering if he should leave or stay. It was once an actual, functional balcony, but some years ago, after renovations, the entrance to it closed up. Still, it remains a very useful ledge to rest. After all, the reason Greed is up here in the first place is because he’d spotted someone resting, anyways.</p><p>He had been trying to mind his own business, but while strolling around the grounds, he’d looked up to find the familiar silhouette of Bido taking a short break on the balcony. Two things had crossed Greed’s mind the instant he had spotted him. One, that Bido would be in big trouble if anyone but Greed saw him. And two: If Bido delivered his letter into that room, where every inhabitant carried several deadly weapons, it would be a gruesome picture.</p><p>Thankfully, Bido’s not the only one that can scale walls. Greed had scrambled up the side of the building as fast as humanly possible, and after collapsing on the balcony next to a surprised Bido, accepted the letter in his hands and waved him away before any guards found him.</p><p>This brings him to where he is now. The voices in the room fade in and out, and Greed already feels guilty just for being here, but not guilty enough to leave, so he opens up Bido’s letter.</p><p>
  <em>Greed, this is a letter from all of us. I know you probably won’t be able to respond after this, but are you doing okay? You didn’t seem like yourself in that last letter. If something’s going on, please tell us. Anyways, we’ll see each other over winter break, for sure, so don’t think you can get out of this. We’ve been through worse, and it’s going to be okay. Stay safe until then. —Roa, Dolcetto, Martel, Bido</em>
</p><p>Greed folds the letter back up. As expected, his friends know him well. There’s probably not enough time to compose a response, and when Bido had waved goodbyes, he’d said they’d meet again in winter break, so it doesn’t seem like they’d pick up a letter even if Greed wrote one.</p><p>He does feel a little obligated to respond, though. He’s definitely feeling better now, but as for what his thoughts are on the whole situation, it feels a little selfish to even think about them. For Greed, all he wants is to break that familiar bond and have Ling he out of his hair. Such a thing will probably take the whole year.</p><p>Pushing his guilt aside, Greed presses his ear to the wall. It’s a miracle they haven’t noticed him outside, yet. Maybe he’s just a hard person to sense. In fact, this balcony is a prime position for any assassins or nefarious creatures. His whole life always feels like he’s living on the edge, and this is no different.</p><p>The voices in the room grow louder, and now that Greed is focusing, their voices click in place. Greed doesn’t know why they’re speaking in Amestrian. There’s not any type of taboo against Xingese in this city.</p><p>“Familiar bond?” Fu asks. “Explain this.”</p><p>“I’m Greed’s familiar,” Ling says. “So, when we go anywhere, Greed needs to be within a few miles distance from us. Xing is too far away.”</p><p>“Would Greed come to Xing?” Fu asks. “Willingly?”</p><p>Ling sighs. “I doubt it. His family wouldn’t let him miss school. Though Greed is… interesting, I won’t put him above my country. If it has to be done, we can just knock him unconscious and drag him to Xing with us.”</p><p>Greed freezes. Ling has called him interesting before, but this is the first time it has felt like more of an insult than a compliment.</p><p>Lan Fan claps her hands together. “After arriving at Xing, we could leave him in a nearby village or city. Wouldn’t that solve the problem?”</p><p>“That’s a good option,” Fu agrees.</p><p>Greed doesn’t want to be knocked unconscious and carted off to the other side of the world. The way things are right now, he doesn’t even want to leave this school. If he measures the scope of his problems against Ling’s, though, he supposed that’s enough to render his feelings about that solution insignificant.</p><p>“However,” Ling says, “Though that is an option, it’s not one I’m going to consider.” Greed presses his ear closer to the wall. “Greed is… well, like I said, he’s interesting. And though it may come as a surprise, I enjoy his company. I think I’d like to stay here a little longer.”</p><p>It feels like his mind has done a 180 in the span of just a few seconds. Greed slumps against the wall. As strange as it is, he thinks he enjoys Ling’s company, too.</p><p> “As you said, you can break that familiar bond, right?” Fu asks.</p><p>“In time,” Ling assures. “And as far as things go, I’m pretty safe in this academy.”</p><p>Fu sighs. “If that is what you wish to do, we cannot change it. The emperor most likely has a little less than a year left in him, so you’ll be able to come back to Xing in time.”</p><p>“Right,” Lan Fan says. “We’ll consider other solutions.”</p><p>Their voices drop to a low murmur after that, and Greed can’t make out a thing. He zones out, staring at the sun dip completely below the horizon, until the sky turns a dark blue.</p><p>There’s a rustling sound next to him, and he snaps to attention, hearing the Lan Fan and Fu’s voices as they get ready to leave. Greed looks frantically around him, scrambling to get up before they spot him, and—</p><p>Lan Fan is perched on the windowsill, staring at him. Caught in the act, Greed drops his hands from the building wall and stares back. It’s silent as she looks him up and down.</p><p>“For what it’s worth,” Lan Fan says slowly, “Young Master wanted you in that room for our discussion. I don’t know what he finds interesting about you. But protect him with your life, or you won’t have a life to call your own.”</p><p>Greed swallows. “He‘ll be safe,” he says. “Don’t worry.”</p><p>Fu pauses by the balcony, too. He inclines his head towards where Ling is presumably sitting. “You two should talk.”</p><p>And then, as if they were never there, granddaughter and grandfather vanish into the night.</p><p>Greed eyes the still-open window, and after a moment of deliberation, sighs and crawls through.</p><p>He meets Ling’s eyes. “You knew I was outside.”</p><p>Ling nods.</p><p>“That’s why you were speaking in Amestrian,” Greed adds. “So I could understand.”</p><p>Again, Ling nods.</p><p>Greed takes a deep breath. “Why?”</p><p>Ling smiles. “Because I wanted to make you understand.” He pauses, and tilts his head, staring at Greed intently. “Do you? Understand, that is.”</p><p><em>Interesting</em>, Greed thinks. It’s a term that is as applicable to Ling as it is to himself. He wonders if part of being greedy is about being curious about anything and everything, about wanting to know someone more than you already do.</p><p>He nods. “I do.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“You’ve been reading that same letter a lot,” Ling says.</p><p>“Hush,” Greed says. “Spells. Around the circle.”</p><p>“Okay,” Ling says. The tip of his wand flickers through different elements, beginning with a small flame, then a spiral of wood, to a bright light, to a gust of wind, to a small orb of water, and then to a small space where no light touches. With a final flick of his wand, Ling gets rid of the shadow and looks expectantly at Greed.</p><p>His lips curve into a smile. “Someone’s been practicing.”</p><p>“What else am I supposed to do?” Ling asks. “Anyways, aren’t you going to reply to that letter?”</p><p>“No, I have… assignments,” Greed says.</p><p>“Not any that are due tomorrow,” Ling says. “I checked with Ed.”</p><p>He sighs. “I can’t reply. They’re closing up the window tomorrow. They wouldn’t be able to receive anything in time.”</p><p>Ling frowns. “What’s wrong with the window?”</p><p>“…I broke the protective wards on it?” Greed says, avoiding eye contact.</p><p>“On… purpose?”</p><p>He shrugs. “Well, once you get used to it, I can control the destruction to some extent. It turns out that my magic has the side effect of destroying spellwork pretty efficiently. It’s a convenient way to get letters without having to go through the school system. And an easy way to sneak out.”</p><p>Ling brushes his fingers along the window, marveling at the half-destroyed characters etched within the woodwork. “That’s an interesting application of your magic,” he says. “Though it does leave your window unprotected.”</p><p>“Who’s going to hurt me here?”</p><p>Ling gives him a funny look.</p><p>“Okay, well, your retainers had a simple misunderstanding.” Greed suddenly remembers that Ling is perhaps more worried about things than he lets on. “Right,” he adds. “You’re not allowed to sleep in front of my door. Go to sleep in your room like a normal person. What’s got you so worried anyways?”</p><p>He gets a blank stare from Ling. “Haven’t you noticed anything strange, this year?”</p><p>Greed considers it for a moment. “Not… really?”</p><p>“Your family was definitely trying to threaten me during dinner,” Ling says. “Are all of you part of a strange cult?”</p><p>“<em>What</em>?”</p><p>“It makes sense,” Ling continues, “with the matching tattoos, and the strange, inexplicable person that your father is. The fact that you have a specific system set up for sending letters just so they won’t be intercepted. There’s also the strange names all of you have, and your father’s hatred of humanity. And you seem to have familiarity with magical experimentation, which is illegal in every country.”</p><p>“That was a different cult,” Greed quickly explains. “Anyways, that one doesn’t exist anymore.”</p><p>Ling raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“I accidentally walked into a town that was just… a giant cult, a few years ago,” he says. “Long story short, some people were trying to escape it, and ended up destroying the cult in the process. I got mixed up in it by accident.” He frowns. “If I was in a cult, I think I’d know, Ling. My family is just strange.”</p><p>“Can you really say you haven’t found one thing strange in this school?” Ling challenges. “Other than the familiar summoning.”</p><p>Greed is quiet for a long moment. Everything about the school has kind of blurred together over the years, because there are things that are strange just because the school is like that, and then there are things that are strange because they are out of place and unexplained. Finally, he snaps his fingers in recollection. “I know a secret passageway.”</p><p>“And you’re saying that now?” Ling half-shrieks.</p><p>Greed shushes him. “Keep your voice down, we’re going to get another complaint,” he says. “I was busy with other things. I thought it might have just been a secret staff room or something, because Roy didn’t seem all that concerned when I tried to tell him, but maybe he wasn’t even aware of it?”</p><p>“Do you still remember where it is?”</p><p>He thinks back on the corridor. “Probably. Actually…” He glances towards the clock hanging on the wall. “Want to explore it now?”</p><p>“It’s past curfew,” Ling says.</p><p>“When have you cared about the rules?” Greed asks.</p><p>“I’d just rather not get caught,” Ling says, but Greed can see the excitement in his expression.</p><p>He really doesn’t think there’s actually going to be much going on, but Ling has been a little out of it ever since Lan Fan and Fu visited, so this visit will probably ease his worries a little.</p><p>“The window’s going to be closed up tomorrow,” he says. “This might be our only time to sneak out.”</p><p>Ling sighs. “Fine. Lead the way.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>A low flame glows from the tip of Ling’s wand. “This feels wrong,” he says. “I haven’t seen any guards.”</p><p>“It’s the wards,” Greed says. “They protect the academy from most things, but they’re spelled to include students and staff.”</p><p>“Still, that doesn’t stop any students from sneaking out,” Ling says.</p><p>Greed shrugs. “I don’t think this academy was built in mind of troublemakers coming to this school.”</p><p>“What an utter lack of foresight,” Ling says. “Even without you in the mix, I think the only reason Ed and Al haven’t gotten into more trouble is because they’re scholarship students.”</p><p>Eventually, they come to a stop in front of the mural that Greed found. He’s kind of surprised that they actually found it so soon, since he’d been relying on muscle memory alone to find it.</p><p>“That’s a really gorgeous mural,” Ling says.</p><p>Greed reaches out and touches the top of the mural. “Watch,” he says. Carefully, he draws a circle around the mural, and waits for the distinctive shudder of the wall. “Touch the groove in the center of the painting.”</p><p>Ling hesitantly presses a hand to the center, feeling around for the groove, and then presses down.</p><p>The wall in front of them shudders again, and slides out of the way. “There we go,” Greed says.</p><p>“How did you figure that one out?” Ling asks.</p><p>“Total accident. Sometimes you just feel like drawing a circle.”</p><p>The two of them carefully walk into the passageway. Ling switches the tip of his wand from fire to plain light, and urges to glow to be a little brighter, until it illuminates the passage before them.</p><p>They walk in silence for a while after that, listening to the echo of their own footsteps. Greed is reminded of his trip in the sewers a few months ago.</p><p>“Ling, if we see a vaguely monster-looking thing, we turn and run away, okay? I refuse to deal with that.”</p><p>“Have you <em>met</em> a vaguely monster-looking thing recently?” Ling asks. “Again, why do you think you’re not in a cult?”</p><p>“It was in the sewers,” Greed says. “Family was unrelated. Though Wrath did end up dropping in out of nowhere and killing it.”</p><p>Ling pinches the bridge of his nose. “Oh, so your brother was in the sewers for a totally unrelated reason?”</p><p>“He was summoning me to family dinner,” Greed says.</p><p>“He knew exactly where you were.”</p><p>“To be fair,” Greed counters, “so do your retainers.”</p><p>“I suppose you have a point,” Ling says.</p><p>“Speaking of your retainers,” Greed continues, “Do you have another one of those tracking crystals?”</p><p>“I don’t,” Ling says, “but they work just fine in smaller sizes, though the effect isn’t as strong. Do you want a piece of mine?”</p><p>“I thought it would give you a peace of mind,” Greed says. He feels a little dizzy, and blinks a few times to keep focused. It’s not too late, so he definitely isn’t sleepy, and he’s gotten over his fever already.</p><p>“Exploring a secret passageway is not giving me peace of mind,” Ling laughs. “Why are you so insistent on this?”</p><p>“You’re a prince, you should sleep on a bed,” Greed says. “Keep your luxury status alive.”</p><p>“That’s not a good enough explanation.”</p><p>Greed shrugs. “I don’t think you should worry that much. If anything really bad happens, I’ll scream really loudly and you can come running. Your door is right across mine. And also, I just think you should be able to sleep well.”</p><p>Ling sighs. “I’ll do it if you give me the key to your lock,” he bargains.</p><p>“Deal,” Greed says easily. He sits down in the middle of the narrowing passageway. “Is it just me, or has this corridor been shrinking?” he asks.</p><p>Ling sits next to him. “Not your imagination,” he says. “Greed, are you doing okay?”</p><p>“I’m not sick,” Greed says. He presses a hand to his temple. “Just… don’t you hear something? Like a really high-pitched, shrill sound.”</p><p>Ling furrows his brows, trying to focus. “Maybe very far away,” he says. “Is it really loud for you?”</p><p>“Not that loud,” Greed says. “It’s just a kind of annoying sound. Let’s keep moving; maybe I’ll hear it better.”</p><p>“…Okay.”</p><p>The pounding in his head grows louder in tandem with the slowly shrinking height of the passageway. Before long, Ling and Greed are crawling through.</p><p>“The space in front of me feels… wrong?” Greed says. “It’s hard to explain.”</p><p>“I can hear what you talked about,” Ling says. “It’s faint… but it sounds like something’s crying?”</p><p>“Yes!” Greed says. “That’s exactly it, that’s the sound. It hurts my head.”</p><p>“Yeah, I can see that,” Ling says. “What did you mean about the space?”  </p><p>Greed reaches out to the air in front of him with his hands, and carefully waves them around the room. “There are wards here, I think,” he says.</p><p>“You can sense wards?” Ling asks.</p><p>“It’s kind of an instinct,” Greed says. “Try checking it. It’s like trying to feel the familiar bond in Armstrong’s class. Technically, I think the action is called opening your magical sight.”</p><p>“I’ll try,” Ling says, and the corridor goes dark. Ling arranges himself into a cross-legged position, and breathes softly, before his body begins to faintly glow. Almost immediately, he reels back, blinking wildly at the dark in front of him.</p><p>After a moment, a light flickers from Ling’s wand again.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Greed asks.</p><p>“Those wards…” Ling shudders. “They’re really strong. Don’t try to break them. They were so bright it felt like I was being blinded.”</p><p>“Huh,” Greed says, “I guess this is why the academy isn’t worried about students sneaking around.” He doesn’t voice the little<em> these wards could maybe kill us </em>thought in his head.</p><p>“Yeah,” Ling says, still a little shaken. “What… what do you think they’re hiding down there?”</p><p>Greed meets his eyes. “Do you really want to know?”</p><p>Ling shakes his head, silent.</p><p>When they return to the dorms, Ling accepts Greed’s spare key, and goes to sleep in his own room. If it was just a few hours ago, Greed would have been unequivocally happy with the end results.</p><p>Now, he can’t help but feel that Ling’s worry isn’t entirely unfounded.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>is it weird to say the plot thickens when i know the plot...? but anyways. hehe. the plot thickens.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The fork clangs against his plate in a loud, sharp sound. Greed shuts his mouth.</p><p>“You’ve been failing your classes,” Father says, softly enough to make Greed terrified.</p><p>He nods.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>winterlude: part 1! we'll be back to school by ch 9, though... and then soon enough I'll be back to school, yikes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lan Fan adjusts the scarf around her neck. “Ling,” she says. Her eyes flicker towards Greed briefly. He leans against the school gate and looks away from their conversation. “Be well.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The scarf is a going-away gift from Ling. Winter’s deep chill has finally set in, and Fu and Lan Fan have come from the desert heat. They’re not exactly dressed for the weather. Still, those two look like the exact type who would grit their teeth and bear it, even if they got frostbite as a result. So, before their departure, Ling had made sure to purchase them a set of winter wear—all, of course, from Greed’s pocket. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Fu and Lan Fan had originally considered staying, the window had been sealed up, and there wasn’t any other weak point in the wards that they could exploit. Greed doesn’t think he can get away with breaking those wards again, especially after the shock the magical repairer went through after seeing them. It’s unlikely they’ll forget about things like that so easily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since all three of them don’t know the situation in Xing anymore, and Fu and Lan Fan couldn’t really perform their proper function as bodyguards, they’d decided to go back and monitor the situation themselves until Ling could make the proper journey home. Ever since Lan Fan and Fu arrived, Greed thinks that Ling has been a little more at ease, after finally knowing what’s been going on in his home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fu turns to him and says, “Don’t forget our promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed sighs noisily. “No worries.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the few moments that he was alone with Ling’s retainers, they both managed to pressure him into swearing upon his life to protect Ling. Greed doesn’t think their concerns will ever become a reality, but he’s not that comfortable with swearing on his life. He’s always been fairly selfish, and without any sort of protective instinct, so he doubts anything is going to come of it. Still, he makes a point not to lie, so he’ll do his best.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some of his sincerity must have come through, because Fu and Lan Fan both backed off after that. Though it could just be because they had to leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the two of them wave goodbye, Greed turns to Ling. “They’re not staying for winter break?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling shakes his head. “They needed to go back quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You would’ve liked to spend time with them, though?” Greed muses. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling nods. “I haven’t seen them in a while. It would be only natural.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Greed says. “Anyways, you know where the manor is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember.” Ling pats his pocket. “And I have the letter right here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed points to him. “Don’t forget. I’ll be in trouble if you do.” He stares up at the sky. “It’ll be nice to take a break, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Ling says. “We’ve been together for all hours of the day, pretty much. Some distance will be refreshing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed nods. “I’ll see you later, then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At the appointed time,” Ling confirms, and they both wave goodbye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed makes his way through the city, absentmindedly taking in the scenery around him. He wonders if Ling will get lost in the winding streets, but Ling seems to have a pretty good head on his shoulders, so he’ll probably navigate around just fine. He catches the eye of some passerby, which is probably just because of his distinctive school jacket. Truth be told, it’s too cold to just be wearing it, but Greed’s coat is stuffed in a closet inside his hidden apartment. He could stop by to grab it, but it’s not near his destination. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, he arrives at the entrance of the Devil’s Nest, and he pushes the doors open, not even bothering to knock. The pub is closed at this time, but the store runners are all there, sitting in a circle around some cards. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, bastards,” Greed announces. “Miss me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel, Roa, Dolcetto and Bido all raise their heads in a synchronized movement. “Greed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto gives him a bone-crushing hug. “How have you been?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s been okay,” Greed says. “I’m hungry, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll cook something up in the back,” Roa says. “Tell us what’s been going on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed sighs. “It’s a long story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you say,” Martel pipes up. She smiles at him. “Not like you have anywhere else to be, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He realizes, with a start, that she’s right. There’s no place he’d rather be.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Greed spends the first few days of winter break staying as far away from the manor and the academy as he can. He feels a little bad for Ling, but is mostly content to wander between his apartment and the Devil’s Nest. Not much has changed since Greed left, although all of them say that business has been better without Greed’s patronage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s mostly sure it’s a lie they’re telling to make him feel better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One day, while they’re all eating lunch, Roa smiles and asks, “Do you feel like stirring up a bit of trouble?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed grins. “I thought you’d never ask.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trouble is a strange word for what they do. After learning about Greed’s penchant for walking into dangerous, life-threatening situations and coming out alive, the group from Dublith has made it a personal mission to get into as many complicated situations as they can. At first, it was just a way to make some people in the area indebted to them, and now, Roa calls it ‘damage control’, as if they’re somehow misdirecting Greed’s misfortune by involving themselves in these cases. Greed goes along with it mostly for the fun of it. He enjoys traveling, and wherever they go, something new always ends up happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bido smiles nervously. “I think I’ll prefer to stay out of this one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No worries,” Roa says. “It shouldn’t be anything crazy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s just…” Bido pauses, chewing his lip. “Like I said in my letter, I’m worried about what might happen, Greed. Nothing’s certain yet, so I just think we should be careful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like you said, it’s nothing you can prove,” Martel says. “We’ll be careful, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Greed has all of us protecting him,” Dolcetto adds. “Even you, though maybe not in a fight. He’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then, that’s settled,” Roa says. “One of our patrons has insomnia, and during their nighttime walks, they stumbled upon a heavily warded building on the outskirts of the city.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why search for something so dangerous?” Bido asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In the right circumstances, it’s something fun,” Greed argues. “There’s always something you can find in those kinds of places.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like cults.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like treasure,” Greed replies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course you would think about treasure,” Martel says. “Even though you’re rich.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, treasure could be interesting,” Dolcetto cuts in. “And I’m sure Greed wouldn’t take it all for himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed tactfully doesn’t reply to that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel sighs. “So what, just a haunted mansion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roa shrugs. “I thought it would be fun to check out. Clearly, you’re not scared of ghosts or the like, so you won’t have any problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Greed says, glancing arbitrarily at the clock, “my schedule’s free.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s settled, then,” Roa says, taking another bite out of his lunch. “We’ll leave in an hour.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, great,” Greed groans. “A laboratory?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So much for a haunted mansion,” Martel says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your words, not mine,” Roa replies. “Some impressive gates, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re too easy to scale,” Greed says. “It’s the same architecture at the manor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that’s the first thing I’ve ever heard you say about your family,” Martel comments. “How surprising.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed frowns, climbing up the gated walls. “It’s not that surprising.” He swings over to the other side. “Okay, it’s safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto follows over with Roa and Martel. “Hate to say it, but I’m with Martel on this one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A side effect of your familiar,” Roa guesses. “Now you open up about things more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am open,” Greed huffs. “You know everything important, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do we?” Martel asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed ignores her. Roa pries the doors of the laboratory open, and then they’re in, pacing through the halls as the three chimeras keep on the lookout for any suspicious noises.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should have brought a sword,” Greed grumbles, as Dolcetto unsheathes his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want mine?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head. “I’ll make do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, good,” Roa says. “I think we have company.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed extinguishes the candle he’s been carrying. It’s dark around him. He breathes deeply, and feels the three of his friends circle around him, tapping out a quick code with the sound of their footsteps. They can see much better than him in this type of dark, so all he can do is wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hears the shuffling of footsteps behind him, and swings around, but meets empty air. There’s a cry that echoes in front of him, and then another behind him, and Roa’s voice floats from the air around him. “Get the light.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed fumbles for a lighter and feels for the wick of the candle before lighting it and readjusting his grip. Illuminated by the faint light, struggling against Roa and Martel’s holds, are two kids, with bright gold eyes and hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Elrics?” Greed yells, sound echoing off the walls. “Roa, Martel, you can let them go,” he adds after a moment. “They’re not dangerous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel and Roa relax their holds, and Ed and Al scramble back to each other’s sides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What… why are you guys here?”  Greed asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up!” Ed hisses. “Why are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” Greed says. “I go where life takes me. What, am I not supposed to be here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course?” Ed shrieks. “I modified the wards—they should have blocked any other humans from entering.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shitty wards, then,” Greed says, “You’ll have to brush up on your spell work. And that’s a terrible idea, anyways. Warding against just humans creates so many blind spots. Anyways, what are you guys doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re investigating things,” Al helpfully explains. “Possibly illegal things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed relaxes. “Oh. Okay. What things?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like we’re going to tell you,” Ed mutters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed pulls on the kid’s braid before he can think better of it. After Ed yelps, he gestures towards Martel, Roa, and Dolcetto, and says, “I think you have more than enough reasons to tell me. What am I going to do, anyways? Put you in jail?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you can buy your way out of jail, can’t you?” Ed spits. “And your father hates me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed frowns. “Does he? Good. If Father hates you, that means you’re a good person.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t he like you? You’re at school on his recommendation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He flicks Ed’s forehead. “If he liked me, I wouldn’t be there, pipsqueak.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t call me short!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed sighs. “You’re a child. What are you doing in such a dangerous place?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not like he would do anything,” Al comments. “Well, since this is an abandoned laboratory, we were looking to see if any research was left behind. That’s all I can say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lets go of Ed’s braid. “Sure, whatever. Let me tag along.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We weren’t just going to turn back just because someone else showed up,” Roa says. “We might as well follow you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, then…” Ed beckons the rest of them forwards, and they descend into the twisting corridors, lit by the tip of Ed’s wand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto taps Greed’s shoulder and whispers, “Are these two students in your school?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Scholarship, though, so they’re not assholes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure you don’t want to question them more?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed shrugs. “Not really my business, right? Besides, we’re just using them to search more. No harm in following along with whatever they’re up to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al skids to a halt in front of a locked door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto’s ears twitch. “Quiet,” he hisses. “There’s voices.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They crouch in anticipation. “Let Martel get the lock,” Greed commands. “She’s quicker. Unless there’s magical wards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly, Ed casts a diagnostic spell. “The wards are simple. I’ll disarm them and then Martel can pick the physical lock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel brings out her kit and fiddles with the door after Ed rearranges pieces of the wards to break them apart. Within a few minutes, she raises her head and nods to Greed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s getting louder,” Dolcetto says. “Martel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed gives her the ‘go’ signal, and she kicks the door open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The six of them tumble into a group of armored bodies, surrounded by lab equipment. “Oh, great,” Roa groans. “Ghosts.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you saying you would prefer humans?” Greed asks snidely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roa swings at the one closest to him, sending it tumbling to the ground. “I’d prefer this place was actually abandoned.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you have a policy of punch first, talk later?” Ed complains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> policy,” Al says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto slices through a piece of armor, and groans when the pieces start to reassemble. “Magicians!” he shouts. “Actually kill these ghosts, would you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s talking to you,” Greed says, ducking the blow of a particularly enraged ghost. “Unless you want me to do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al already has his wand out, and casts a ray of light that hits a ghost dead center. A burning smell permeates the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto wrinkles his nose. “I thought the smoke smell was because of your exploding wand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, it’s not!” Greed yells. Martel has fallen into a pretty good rhythm, constricting the armored bodies of the ghosts before Ed or Al blast them to cinders. She jumps to the next body, armored in an antique knight’s armor, and wrests the old, rusted sword from its hand before tossing it in Greed’s direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This isn’t lab equipment,” Greed idly remarks, before smacking away an incoming ghost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch out for the floor!” Al yells. “There might be some shattered glass, I wasn’t looking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed lunges out, bringing another ghost to its knees, before surveying the state of the room. There’s two more pieces of armor that Roa and Dolcetto slice to ribbons, and then—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All that’s left is the smell of something burning. Ed pinches his nose. “What… was that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a good bet your research is here,” Greed says, squatting down on a breastplate and carefully looking at the floor. There’s shattered glass on the ground, and he likes his shoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Martel starts searching the room, pulling open cabinets haphazardly. She tosses a file to the Elrics. “Here,” she says. “I can’t read that scientific mumbo jumbo. Is that what you’re looking for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed scans it quickly. “It could be,” he says, slowly. “It’s probably in some type of code. We’ll have to gather all the papers here first. But why are you helping us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not helping you,” Greed says. “We’re just accompanying you on whatever this is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Ed says with a frown. “Well, thanks anyways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cheers,” Greed mutters, picking through the pieces of armor on the floor. “Geez, Dolcetto, how many pieces did you slice them into?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto swings open a cabinet and finds a thick, leather-bound book. “Hey, guess what, Greed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed takes a quick glance back to where the rest of them are hovering over Martel’s collection of files. He hops over. “Surprise me,” he says. “I haven’t been surprised in a while.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ling,” Al yells from the other side of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Other than that,” Greed mutters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto waves the book in his face. “Look at this cover.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though the volume is clearly worn, pristine on the cover is the symbol of an ouroboros, glistening in gold paint. Greed swears he can feel the air warp around it. His hand itches.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Drop that book!” he yells, and it bursts into flames.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His tattoo burns, an insistent, horrible feeling, and Greed reaches out. There’s no way it will burn him as much as it could burn someone like Dolcetto, and that fire is blue, hot and magical, burning with the kind of intensity that could—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t let that happen. He can’t let that happen. He remembers Dolcetto, remembers the amount of burning he’d witnessed, remembers the state of his body when they’d first met, bleeding out and barely dead, eyes still defiant. The burning feeling in his tattoo spreads out from his hands to his fingers. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The book freezes over solid and clatters to the floor. Greed grasps Dolcetto’s hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” he asks, checking for burns on Dolcetto’s skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto hisses in pain. “It stings,” he says. “Should heal fine, though. The fire was hot, but not as much as normal fire. Guess the magical type really can’t compare, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed exhales and the tension drops from his shoulders. “Good,” he says. Gingerly, he picks up the book. It’s so cold he almost drops it again. “Magical fire burns as hot as it wants, if the magician is powerful enough,” he mutters to himself. He doesn’t doubt the strength of the magician who laid the spellwork on this book, so the magic must have already been fading by the time they arrived upon it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By now, the rest of the people in the room have rushed over to their side. “Are you two okay?” Roa asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re fine,” Dolcetto assures. “Thanks to the magic kids. I guess one of them reacted fast enough to stop it.” He looks at Greed appreciatively. “And I guess you knew it was cursed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Instinct,” Greed says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed and Al exchange questioning glances. “It wasn’t me,” they both say. “I didn’t realize what was happening until afterwards.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Al says. “I wasn’t holding my wand. I don’t think I could have reacted in that kind of situation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can cast with your hand, can’t you?” Greed asks Ed. “Maybe it was an unconscious type of magic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed shakes his head. “I haven’t talked it through with my mechanic yet. With the materials it’s made of right now, it would be near impossible.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Greed says, “how about we just thank the benevolent spirit that saved us, and let it be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dolcetto looks queasy. “How about we just… get out of here, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good idea,” Martel says. “I’m not chancing my life on a mysterious benevolent spirit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed stares at his hands for a second, deep in thought. He looks at the tattoo on his hand and then the tattoo on the book. Finally, he sighs and hands the book over to Al. “This is probably what you’re looking for,” he says. “Tell me if there’s anything interesting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the same mark as your hand,” Al murmurs. “Greed, do you know—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll have to take that particular symbol up with Father,” he firmly interrupts. “I don’t know a thing. It’ll be better used in your hands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al nods. “We’ll update you when we can,” he says. “You’ve been a great help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, let’s get the hell out of here,” Martel cuts in. “You can say thank you to him later. I’m not scared of ghosts, but the agenda of creepy scientists is not something I want to dive any deeper into.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agreed,” Roa says, making his way out of the ruined room. “That’s enough mystery for today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed looks at his hands again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fire</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thinks, and snaps his fingers. “Fire,” he mutters under his breath, splaying his hands out wide. Nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Greed?” Dolcetto looks concerned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nothing,” he says. He takes one more look around the room, sighs, and follows the rest outside.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>On the day of their customary family dinner, Greed bids goodbye to his friends and plans to make a stop by his apartment to wait out the time until he’s supposed to show up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of that, though, he comes face to face with someone at the entrance of his apartment. They look vaguely like a staff member at Amestris Magic Academy, which is concerning. Greed is sure his official place of residence within the school records is listed as his family manor and not his apartment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” Greed asks, shoving past him to enter his apartment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man frowns. “I’m here on behalf of your father, Greed. Don’t be so rude.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed snorts. “If you’re here on behalf of Father, I can be as rude as I want? Are you here to pester me to go to dinner? Because I’ll come, no worries. It’s too early to go now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man’s frown grows deeper. “I’m here to fetch you early,” he says. “It’s advised you come quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed sighs. “Can I have time to change my outfit?” He fumbles with the keys to his apartment door. “Don’t follow me in,” he adds as an afterthought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he can go in, a hand grabs at his collar. “Greed, you should go now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My clothes—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been told you’ve dressed worse for dinners before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed flushes. “Hey, what do you know—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More than you,” the man replies, snidely. “Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>come</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed growls at him, but shoves his hands in his pockets. “Lead the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” the professor says. “If only you could be this obedient in class.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed suddenly recognizes his professor as the one who lectured him about magical augmentation a while back, and sighs deeply. Of course Father is only on good terms with the professors who specifically hate him. Greed’s luck is just that bad. Then again, he wouldn’t wish Father on any of the teachers that were actually okay, so maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s snowing outside. The roads are icy, which is maybe why they’ve opted to walk Greed to the manor rather than take a car. It’s not an unreasonably long distance, but it’s humiliating, to follow behind his professor to a place he could very easily get to himself. Father could have had a thousand other ways to make Greed arrive a little earlier, but it seems like he’s chosen the most confusing and annoying one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed sighs again. The closer they get to the manor, the more he dreads the dinner. If Father wants to speak to him beforehand, that can mean nothing good. Especially now that Ling is here, the experience feels ten times as miserable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the gates, the professor stops and nods to the guard, who unlocks the gates and leads him inside. Taking a deep breath, Greed brushes off the guard trailing behind him, straightens his back, and enters the dining room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Greed.” Father’s voice is genial. “Please, take a seat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s no one else in the room. Greed had expected to see at least his other siblings. He takes the offered seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Help yourself to a snack,” Father says, working through his own meal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cautiously, Greed snatches a brownie and munches on it slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You must wonder why I’ve called you here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed nods. “It’s been a while.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Indeed,” Father agrees. That’s a rarity. “I thought I would make up for it. I invited your familiar and the rest over later, because I thought it would be best to discuss matters between ourselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Matters being…?” Greed asks, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Before we get to that…” Father’s eyes darken. “Your familiar, Ling. Who is he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed frowns. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is a Xingese civilian, right?” Father says. “But he is clearly fluent in Amestrian. People like those do not pop up everywhere. I am… concerned for this family’s safety, if we let him in too close.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s just smart,” Greed responds levelly, like Ling isn’t royalty. It’s enough of a truth that Greed knows he looks like he isn’t lying. Royalty is hard to conflate with the absolutely irritating mess Ling can be. “I guess he learned, back home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t make it a point to invite strangers here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then it’s fine,” Greed says. “If you don’t want him here, don’t invite him to dinners. He’ll never have to see your face again, and things will be peachy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Father twirls a silver fork in his fingers. “You’re missing the point. I don’t like unknown variables… unknown people getting close to my family. That includes you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed gapes at him. “Are you crazy? Nothing is going to—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fork clangs against his plate in a loud, sharp sound. Greed shuts his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve been failing your classes,” Father says, softly enough to make Greed terrified.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just like last year,” Father continues. “Only now, you have a human familiar. And you certainly haven’t been trying,” he spits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you to know?” Greed asks. “You’d have to be spying on me to know anything like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not spying,” Father calmly says. “I’m simply being an attentive parent. Tell me, Greed, how are your… friends?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed freezes. He places his silverware down. “Which ones?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure you know who they are,” Father says. “You have so little, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you trying to imply,” he says. His voice is flat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would just like to remind you that you can’t be… so self-involved,” Father replies, as if he’s making small talk about the weather. “There is more at stake here than your base wishes, see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mind whirls through possibilities. The tattoo burns on his hand. “You…” he says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It feels like he’s stumbled into a different world. A few hours ago, he had been relaxed and laughing with the others from Dublith, and now he’s caught in a sick vortex of terror. It would be easier if Father’s power was this tangible thing, but he knows that his reach extends far beyond the limits of Greed’s imagination. It’s already dangerous enough for them to be in such a populated city. People with far smaller scopes of power and influence could make their lives a living hell, if they so wished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The sin of greed is a dangerous thing,” Father adds after a while. “You can want far too much, and want dangerously, without concern for how it may affect others. Sometimes you have to learn about the nature of sacrifice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed swallows. “What is this about?” he asks. “Is it about school? If it’s about studies, there’s really no way for me to pass classes. I don’t have any magic capabilities. You know that. You know that, so why are you—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s enough,” Father says, and Greed clamps his mouth shut. “It’s not about your studies. I understand that they can be… challenging, for someone like you. But the least you could do is keep quiet. You are attracting unwanted attention from people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s not my fault, is it?” Greed bursts out. “You put me here, after all. How was I supposed to know what would happen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yet you insist on making a disturbance everywhere you go,” Father cuts in. “I simply wish for a little peace and quiet.” He stares Greed down. “Is that too much to ask from my son?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed looks away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me repeat myself. Is that too much?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Greed shakes his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” Father says. He inclines his head towards the exit. “Fetch your familiar. He should be arriving at the estate in a few minutes, and I don’t want him intruding on places he shouldn’t go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed rises from his seat and walks out of the room, not bothering to say anything more. His face feels hot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside, at the gates, Ling is standing casually, whistling as he looks at the gardens. The frost has killed off most of the plants, but the freshly-fallen snow makes for a beautiful sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Greed,” Ling says, as Greed wordlessly unlocks the door. “Long time no see.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed sighs and forces his voice out. “Yeah. Long time. Let’s just go eat dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling places a hand on Greed’s shoulder. “You’ll tell me if something’s wrong, won’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As carefully as he can, Greed pushes Ling’s hand away. His head is pounding. “You’re my familiar,” he says. “Why would I owe you anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Ling says, after a long silence. He studies Greed’s face carefully. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed bites his tongue. If he keeps quiet, if he does nothing, says nothing, nothing will happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, he leads Ling back into the family manor. It feels a little like entering the nest of the devil. There’s no place he’d rather not be.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Sloth. Greed. Wrath. Gluttony. Lust. Envy. Pride.” As he says each name, each member of the family slightly inclines their head in acknowledgement. “The seven deadly sins. Each of you carry the name of a fatal flaw within humanity. Why do you have your names? What are you striving for?”</p>
<p>“Perfection.” They all chorus the word like they've done it a thousand times.</p>
<p>Ling feels a chill run down his spine.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>was planning on posting this a bit earlier in the day but got sidetracked, whoops! anyways. enjoy some ling pov!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Ling sees Greed for the first time again, it feels like he’s stepped through time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed is always sharp with his words, but he’s rough about it, like he doesn’t quite know how to do it. There’s still that stumbling sort of awkwardness around it, but it feels like he’s tamped it down. Ling studies his face as they walk into the manor. It seems like he’s going to have to add another entry to his observation diary. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Really, the more he learns, the more it’s harder to understand. Greed is the type of person who likes to cut himself off from anyone else, even though he’s often easiest to read. Ling doesn’t know how to explain that so many people seem to misunderstand him—he thinks it would be more accurate to say the misunderstanding is deliberate. And really, Greed doesn’t try to be a nice person. If anything, he actively rebels against that notion. But Ling has met far worse people, and in terms of all that is evil in the world, Greed doesn’t even come close.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s easy enough to poke through that contradiction. Ling just treats Greed like a normal person, and Greed has done the same in kind. Not many people can so easily come to terms with dragging along a stranger everywhere, and Ling is maybe a little proud and grateful that Greed is as nice as he is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What’s strange, what’s truly weird, what is—unfortunately—more interesting (and frankly disturbing) than the action of getting to know Greed himself, is getting to know all that surrounds him. Ling has interacted with each member of his family in passing, and all of them carry this quickness in their eyes that Greed simply doesn’t have. They’re vicious even when they look like they’re genial or harmless, aura bleeding out of them like a thousand tiny needles. To say that Greed is different would be an understatement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course, it’s not to say that Greed is a completely different beast. He’s clearly someone who knows how to navigate this manor, and he does it with an ease that Ling finds only a little terrifying. Ling knows what it can be like—to have </span>
  <em>
    <span>family</span>
  </em>
  <span> be an enemy, to have </span>
  <em>
    <span>home</span>
  </em>
  <span> be a battlefield—to grow up that way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even then, though, there’s things he doesn’t understand. Greed’s proficiency and deficiency with magic. The absolute power and delicate sort of insanity within his family. Greed’s affinity for healing. The way that he is now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling sighs. It’s probably just the family that’s affecting him so badly. He hopes that once winter break is over, they’ll be able to sort this out. Spending winter break without Lan Fan and Fu has been lonely, even though it was the right thing to do. Ling doesn’t know how he’d cope if Greed was distant for the rest of the year.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They step into the dining room, and Ling turns his attention from Greed to the rest of the room. Unlike last time, the table is alive with friendly chatter. Greed takes his seat like before and Ling plops down next to him, swinging his legs under the table. Greed takes a deep breath, and straightens his posture, hands primly folded on his lap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling pokes at the food with some deliberation. He’s immune to various types of poisons, and everyone else seems to be eating fine, so it’s probably okay…? He glances at Greed again. Maybe he should refrain, to show support.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed doesn’t look at him. Ling sighs and begins eating dinner. This time, he tunes out most of what they’re saying. Most of it is actually just small talk about school, and for a moment, Ling feels like he’s transported into the home of a normal, if slightly dysfunctional, family. Then he looks at Greed and that illusion shatters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About the new direction the curriculum is taking next semester,” Father says, “where are all of you thinking of going? Is there a specific region that interests you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I’d love to go,” Pride gushes. “I can’t wait for next year.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Father says, “I’m sure we can arrange some type of visit. After all, Greed has been traveling before. I see no reason that you should be excluded from that opportunity.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pride claps in excitement. “That sounds wonderful!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Personally,” Lust says, “I was planning to head over to the heart of the fire domain. It is my specialty, you know. And I need to see that temple.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wonderful, Lust. It would be good for all of you to visit the heart of each domain you favor,” Father answers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One by one, each sibling echoes Lust’s answer, speaking of a different location that relates to their specialty. If memory serves, people don’t usually specialize until their third year, and even then, they don’t formally specialize until their fourth year. To have each sibling so committed to an element is strange.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t really have a specific place to travel to,” Greed answers after a while. “I’ve already been to most places in Amestris, so I don’t need to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Father stares at him for a minute before resuming his attention elsewhere.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” Ling whispers, aiming a light kick at Greed’s shin. “Greed. What’s this about second semester assignments?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it,” Greed mutters. “Father oversees a lot of the school operations, so he knows some events before the school announces it. They’ll tell us in class later.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling rolls his eyes. “I don’t care how he knows things,” he says. “I want to know why all of you siblings are so—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed glares at him. “Quiet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The brightness of his eyes is enough to stop the words in his throat. Ling stares at the swirling patterns of the tablecloth again, before taking another bite out of his food. No point in wasting it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a painful amount of time, Father clears his throat for one final speech.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As this break comes to a close, I’d like to issue a reminder. I know you’ve heard me say this before, but some things bear repeating.” He motions for everyone to stand before continuing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling spares a mournful glance at the rest of his food. So long.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sloth. Greed. Wrath. Gluttony. Lust. Envy. Pride.” As he says each name, each member of the family slightly inclines their head in acknowledgement. “The seven deadly sins. Each of you carry the name of a fatal flaw within humanity. Why do you have your names? What are you striving for?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfection.” They all chorus the word like they've done it a thousand times. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling feels a chill run down his spine.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hearing the answer, Father smiles. “You all are dismissed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that, Greed stalks away. Before Ling can follow, the youngest child grabs at his sleeve. “I’m Pride,” he says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling frowns down at him. “I’m Ling,” he says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know. You’re Greed’s familiar,” Pride says. “Come. I wanted to talk to you for a bit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s just a kid. Ling shrugs and follows him to a quiet corridor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wanted to ask you,” Pride says, shifting his feet, “about Greed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about him?” Ling asks, defensive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pride holds his hands up. “Not anything bad!” he exclaims. “He just seems down lately. Do you know what’s wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling sighs. “Do you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Pride says, after considering, “Father can certainly be scary. And sometimes he can go too far. So I think Greed is just misunderstanding him a little. I’m sure they can resolve it, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“…Right.” Ling casts a worried glance around the hallway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pride grabs his hands, eyes sparkling. “Then, does that mean you think it will be okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I—” He catches sight of Greed stalking towards them. “Look, there’s Greed,” Ling says hurriedly, pulling his hands away from Pride’s grasp. “I really need to go, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without waiting for a response, Ling turns around and dashes towards Greed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as Ling reaches him, Greed makes a sharp turn on his heel. “What,” he hisses, “were you thinking?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s just a kid,” Ling says. “I couldn’t say no when he asked to talk, could I?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could have,” Greed argues. “What did he say?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing important. He just wanted to ask how you were doing. Speaking of…” Ling trails off meaningfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed sighs. “I’m fine. Let’s get out of here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once they’ve safely crossed the gates, Ling asks, “What was up with that speech at the end?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a puzzled look on Greed’s face. “Speech? What—oh, the seven deadly sins thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean, you sort of warned me about it, before,” Ling says. “But it’s weird, isn’t it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed shrugs. “Not really. He does it every time. I think he skipped it the first time you were here because he didn’t want to scare you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And everyone in your family is just… okay with that?” Ling asks. “It’s so creepy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s normal by now,” Greed says. “And besides, we all know what he means. He just thinks that people should always try to grow and improve, or whatever. You should always strive for perfection, even if you don’t get there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling sighs. “I don’t have anything to say to that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, good,” Greed says. “You don’t need to.” He keeps his eyes on the road ahead. There’s a far-off, distracted look in his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling racks his brain for another topic. “What did Lust mean by… the heart of a domain?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Each god lives somewhere in Amestris,” Greed says. “The heart of a domain is a region where one god’s element has the most influence. Each of them resides in a certain temple within that region, though whether they actually exist there is debatable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Cool,” Ling says. “Are you going to keep avoiding eye contact?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed scowls. “You’re—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Worried,” Ling cuts in smoothly. “You’re not like yourself. Is it because of your family? Because they’re not here right now. And they’re not tailing me. I checked.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed comes to a slow stop. He tilts his head towards the sky for a long moment. “Why do you care?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Ling says, suddenly nervous. “After this much time, well…” He takes a deep breath. “We are friends, aren’t we?” he says, voice quiet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Friends,” Greed murmurs. “Well, I guess we are.” He frowns. “Ling, what have you been doing over the winter break?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“…Nothing much?” The lukewarm response kind of stings, but it wasn’t a disagreement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My friends,” Greed mutters to himself. “My friends. I don’t have a lot of them, do I?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Should I be honest?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Greed laughs. “You’re very strange,” he says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, that’s you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Ling thinks. He wisely keeps his mouth shut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, Greed asks, “do you have a piece of paper?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do. Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There’s a determined look on Greed’s face. “I have a letter to write.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ling clutches Greed’s letter, staring at the entrance of the Devil’s Nest. This is probably fine. It’s disorienting, but fine. The location is certainly troubling, but Ling has been in worse places. If anything, the state of the pub is just another indication that it’s somewhere Greed would frequent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He takes a deep breath and walks in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Almost immediately, the occupants stop what they’re doing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re closed.” The oldest man says after a second. There’s a pair of horns protruding from his head. The woman next to him glares at him with a challenging look. Ling recognizes the one wearing a cloak as the same person who delivered Greed his letter a while ago. At least he knows this is the right place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Ling says, holding up a letter. “I have a message from Greed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They all exchange looks. “Are you… part of his family?” another man asks, carefully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling shakes his head. “I’m, well, I don’t know if he’s told you this, but I’m his familiar.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh!” the woman says. “You’re Ling. That explains some of it. I’m Martel.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a quick moment, the rest introduce themselves as Roa, Dolcetto, and Bido.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great,” Ling says with a sigh, walking further into the pub. He slides the letter over in the counter. “I knew he sent letters to all of you, but I wasn’t sure if he mentioned me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you are in his letters,” Bido comments. “And since you’re his familiar, you’re involved in most of what he gets into.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dolcetto nudges Bido’s side and passes him Greed’s letter. Ling watches the two of them for a moment, and then asks, “What did he say?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roa sighs. “A lot, unfortunately. Do you know what’s been going on with Greed?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He was kind of strange at his family dinner,” Ling comments. “But he usually gets freaked out around his family.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is… different than usual,” Martel says, studying the letter. “He’s forbidden all contact with us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling frowns. “Can he do that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Though it may not seem like it,” Dolcetto says, “Greed is our leader. We’re also friends, but we do listen to him. This isn’t just a suggestion—it’s an order.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s in trouble,” Ling says. “I know that much. Have you ever met his family?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Martel shakes his head. “He won’t let us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think… his father has some plans, this year,” Ling says. “The more I learn about his family, and his school… I don’t know what it is, but I feel like something’s going to happen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bido groans. “Not </span>
  <em>
    <span>another</span>
  </em>
  <span> cult.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Ling asks, momentarily stunned, “did you say another?” Everything he learns, it gets more confusing. Then he reconsiders. “Wait, no, I remember this. I think Greed mentioned… walking into one? Were you involved?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Martel opens her mouth, and her long, forked tongue extends. “It’s not like we were born like this, you know. This is illegal magical experimentation.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The four of us are from a place called Dublith, originally,” Roa adds. “After Greed stumbled into our town, he ended up causing a lot of destruction, and we ended up being able to escape because of it. It’s why he’s our leader. We’re indebted to him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slumps across the counter. “Does Greed just… tend to get involved in things of this nature? All the time?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He does,” Bido says. “I told him to be careful, but I think he’s mostly ignoring it because he’s survived so far.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ling sighs. “I hate this,” he says, and then repeats it again for good measure. “Why are things just… there’s so much that’s happened, and I bet he hasn’t even told you half of it.” Ling pinches the bridge of his nose. “Okay,” he says to himself. “Okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” Roa asks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Originally,” Ling says, “I was just going to, you know, deliver the letter and leave. But you’re Greed’s friends, aren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All of them nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiles a little. “Right. You’re Greed’s friends, and I’m his friend too, so I’m going to tell you all that I know. And then we’re going to protect him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Somewhere, he knows there’s a solution to all of this. A way to make things make sense. It feels harder and harder to understand what’s going on, but what he does know is this:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite everything around him, Greed as a singular person is his friend. That fact is an immutable thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright,” Ling says, and he pulls out his notebook. “Let’s get to work.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>im on a friendship agenda for 2k20!! truly friends r a valuable thing,, priceless and their worth is immeasurable!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Pride’s eyes sparkle. “But Greed,” he says, terrifying despite his tiny body, “haven’t you ever wanted to meet a god?”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>school came in and just. knocked the life out of me so we'll see how things go haha....</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Wow,” Ling says, “you look terrible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed collapses on the bed. “I don’t know why,” he groans. “It’s just—winter was horrible. Everything was horrible. I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep for a whole week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure seemed that way,” Ling says. “Are we being watched now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, the academy doesn’t have any listening spells,” Greed says with a wave of his hand. “Well, not ones that I know of. But I don’t… I don’t think Roy would be employed if they had listening spells. So even if they do have them, no one uses them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why wouldn’t Roy be employed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed rolls his eyes. “Maybe because he shit talks his job half the time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling laughs. “That’s true. If they were watching, they would have noticed us sneaking out, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Greed says. “So, we’re safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And, now that we’re safe,” Ling says, carefully, as if Greed is an animal about to be spooked, “now you can tell me what’s going on. And not with vague statements where I have to guess half of what you mean. Just the pure and simple truth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed shuts his eyes. “Or,” he says. “I could sleep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You could sleep,” Ling agrees. “You could sleep and by the time you woke up you would be halfway to Xing, because right now, the only reason I’m here is because I think you’re in danger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed buries his head in his pillow. He can’t believe he’s being threatened at such a late hour. “I am actually tired, you know,” he mutters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not alone in that,” Ling says. “Now, here’s what I know: I came to your family’s manor for dinner, and when we talked, you were generally unpleasant and looked miserable. Then, after I asked you what was going on, you started writing a letter, and gave me an address without any answer to my questions. All I know is that you’re paranoid about being watched. Why this is your concern now concerns me.” He pauses to take a deep breath. “So, you’re not going to sleep. You’re going to tell me what’s going on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Greed pushes himself upright. “It’s not a fun story.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling rolls his eyes. “When is it ever?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighs and stares at the floor. Maybe he should take up an interest in floor tiling. Become the world’s greatest carpenter. Lose out to one scummy kid who could imbue a splintered piece of wood with magic and then dissolve from the public consciousness, left destitute and forgotten.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you ever feel like… you’re being watched?” Greed asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling sits at the foot of his bed. “All the time,” he says. “This is probably the most limited guard I’ve ever received in my life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not your guard!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly.” Ling smiles. “This is probably the most freedom I’ll get in a lifetime.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Greed says. “That sucks.” He clears his throat. “But, uh… I get this feeling, sometimes. Most times. Like I’m being tracked by someone, or something. Like there’s this invisible force watch from the heavens, waiting to track my every move, and judging me for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, like a god?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed thinks about Father’s stony face, his larger than life presence, and his great, oppressive shadow. He shakes his head. “No. Not a god.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your family, then?” Ling asks. “I mean, that is what I asked about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Greed says. “I… Father threatened my friends, before dinner. I couldn’t really contact them after that, and I just… freaked out on you, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does he… do that a lot?” Ling asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know. Threaten the things you like to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed shrugs. “I guess so. I used to run away a lot, when I was younger, and the strangest thing is that he would always find me. And he would always know what I had done, and even in the farthest reaches of Amestris, someone, somewhere, would always find me, and know what I had done.” He pauses. “Guess I’m not famous enough for Xing, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling frowns. “It’s like he has a tracking crystal on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed raises his hand. The ouroboros tattoo is still as bright and vibrant as it was when he got it, color still a bloody, memorable red. “I always thought it had to do with this, since everyone in the family has them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s… you can’t remove a tattoo,” Ling says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed nods. “I can’t remove a tattoo. I can’t remove Father’s influence on me, no matter what I do. That’s why…” The words get stuck in his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling places a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay,” he says. “I’m stuck here with you, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> in a cult,” Greed says, marveling at the way that realization sits in his stomach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, well, maybe you are,” Ling sighs. “I mean, that’s definitely what I think. But how are you going to get out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t,” Greed says, with a shake of his head. “I know that’s impossible. But, cult or not, something is definitely going on. Father has never cared about… the specifics of my coursework. Just my results. But he has a strange focus on these new practical assignments. And it feels like he’s watching a lot more… attentively. It could be nothing, but… it doesn’t feel like nothing, you know?” He frowns. “My siblings seem to know more than I do. We’re all family, but…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think you can figure it out?” Ling asks. “What he’s doing, I mean. It seems like he needs you for something, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t be alive if he didn’t need me,” Greed says, dryly. “As for whether I can figure it out… I don’t know.” He shrugs. “Sorry. I wish I could get your more information, but Father has made it clear just how little he trusts me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like you said, if your Father likes someone, then it’s a bad sign,” Ling says. “But at the dinner... all of your siblings mentioned visiting the heart of a domain?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed squints at him suspiciously. “Did I tell you that?” he asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling shrugs. “I heard it at some point, I think? But is there anything… really special about the heart of a domain? Something like a sinister sort of reason each of your siblings would want to be there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed considers it for a moment. “Well, like I said, each domain has a shrine dedicated to the guardian spirit, or god that oversees the domain. What that really means is that there’s a higher concentration of magic there than anywhere else, and it’s a place that’s representative of the domain. The heart of that is the very center, and filled with immense magic. Because of that, it’s pretty dangerous, but…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your siblings are arrogant and overconfident,” Ling says. “They won’t have any reservations about going there, would they?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not in the slightest. And as much as they are arrogant, every one of them has a special type of talent in a certain domain. For Lust, while her technique isn’t there yet, the level of power she has with fire might be almost on par with Roy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No way,” Ling breathes. “But, in school… I mean, she’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed laughs. “Yeah, well, all of them actually keep their talents pretty low-key, in comparison to their actual proficiency.”   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling groans. “So, they’re definitely going to the heart of each domain, then. But why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The most I can figure out is maybe to power up their magic?” Greed guesses. “It’s a mystery past that, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we’ll just have to follow them,” Ling decides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed snorts. “Follow them? Ling, I don’t have any magic. I would die in a heartbeat the moment I breathed in their direction.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Ling says, “okay.” He takes a deep breath. “Look.” From his hand, a stream of water comes forth, twirling around the air in a spiral, before straightening itself out to a line, wavering in the air. “Pretty cool, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed watches in amazement. “Yeah,” he says. “That’s an amazing level of control, Ling, how did you—“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling snaps his fingers, and the water freezes, sharpening into a long blade of ice. He catches it from the air and twirls it around his hands. “I practiced,” he says. “You’re right. We can’t follow them completely. But we have to try to get close, don’t we? And you have me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that icicle supposed to be a sword?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling points it towards Greed. “Doesn’t it feel familiar?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s so close that he can feel the coldness radiating from it. “A little bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… what do you say?” Ling asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stares down at his hands for a long minute. They’re warm. He still remembers the instant, horrible terror he’d felt at the thought of Dolcetto being hurt. “Ling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed swallows. “Just so you know,” he says. “You have me, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So,” Roy announces, shuffling the papers in front of him. “Over break, the second half of our curriculum has received a major overhaul. There’s been a push for teaching more practical uses of magic, so I’m here to outline the major shifts in our curriculum this year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling nudges Greed’s side. “Your father was involved in this, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Without a doubt,” he whispers. “Now that you know that, don’t distract me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Starting with this semester, we’re changing our focus to allow for more real-world assignments,” Roy says, in a mild, unfeeling tone. “Students will take various low-level magical missions, working with guilds around Amestris that have affiliations with our academy. These missions will range from simple, clean-cut extermination of magical spirits, research assignments, magical aid, and so forth. Guild members will assist with different missions, and once they’ve been completed, they’ll write a report on your degree of completion. Each of you will also be tasked with writing a report.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed groans. He hates writing assignments.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because each mission might take a varied amount of time, we ask that each student completes at least 3 missions within this semester, and once they return, they will follow a free-floating curriculum of self-study that aims to fix the weaknesses displayed during practical assignments.” Roy clears his throats. “That’s the gist of it. I’ll pass out the full outline after class, but now you all know what’s going on. Any questions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Al raises his hand. “What if research assignments don’t reveal any results?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll most likely be scored based on the effort put forward as well as the procedure itself,” Roy answers. “Anything else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Theoretically,” Greed asks, “Could you do your three missions in the last two weeks of school?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roy shakes his head. “The semester will be divided into three periods of time. You must complete at least one mission during each segment, though you are free to do more. Missions will be posted on the board outside the dining hall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What sort of identification are we getting to distinguish us from unregistered or rogue magicians?” another student asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll be given a badge with the school logo, though your jacket should be enough. Of course, since you’re not within school grounds, you’re not required to wear your jacket. Guild members will also accompany you, so there shouldn’t be any trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling frowns. “I guess it’s easy to be watched.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed nods. “You don’t need a badge, though. You’re a familiar—run around with impunity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sure will,” Ling says, smile lighting up his face. “Seems like you’ll be able to travel again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really thinking that much about traveling,” Greed sighs. “I already know where we need to go. It’s just about getting the right mission.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed raises his hand. “Are missions limited to one student each?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, you’re free to congregate in groups,” Roy says. “Is that all?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few other people ask questions, but it’s mostly for basic, useless repetition of what Roy has already said, or some minor clarification. Instead of listening, Greed watches as Ling cycles between each element in his hands, regulating the strength and power of each element with a practiced ease. Without a doubt, his proficiency is best with water, as he transforms water to ice with ease, and shifts from a stream of water to individual raindrops like it’s natural. Greed wonders just how large the scale of his manipulation could go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Roy dismisses them from class, Greed grabs Ling to take a quick detour towards the dining hall. Evidently, a few others have the same idea, with the Elrics just a few steps behind the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you two were stalking me,” Greed grumbles as they reach the mission board. As expected, they’ve already begun to post their missions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t it the other way around?” Al asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, sure,” Greed says, eyes scanning the board. After a quick minute, he finds what he’s looking for, and snatches a paper from the top of the board.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Ed says. “Let me see that, too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ling calmly grabs the paper out of Greed’s hands and holds it so the four of them can read.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a clean-cut mission like Roy described,” Greed says. “It’s up north, so it works best for the element you’re comfortable in. And it’s near the Water Shrine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ed frowns. “You guys are planning on visiting the heart of the water domain?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really,” Greed says. “We just need to be… near it. For reasons.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we’re going with you,” Ed declares, rolling the paper up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He frowns. “Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A friend of ours lives there,” Al explains. “We haven’t seen her in a while, so it would be good to visit her along the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m reluctant to even offer,” Ed says with a scowl, “but would you like to team up for this one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Greed’s voice is flat. “Not a chance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By that,” Ling smoothly cuts in, “he means that he’s very excited to be working with you. We’ll talk more during lunch about details. Right now, we have a class to get to.” He tugs on Greed’s sleeve and drags him away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that about?” Greed hisses. “It’s not like what we’re doing can be told to just anyone—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ed is my friend,” Ling says. “Al, too. They’re one of the only people in this school who aren’t horrible to you, and you’re going to refuse their help? Plus, we can work with them without having them pry into people’s matters. Just accept their request.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…Fine,” Greed says. He sighs. “I’m leading the team, though. I refuse to let a bunch of teenagers run around by themselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Won’t we have the guild members looking out for us?” Ling asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed smiles. “For where we’re going? We don’t want them to look.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s packing his suitcase when there’s a knock on his door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come in,” he calls, not bothering to look. It’s probably Ling, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…Greed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He almost bites his tongue in surprise. After a moment, he takes a deep breath, counting out the seconds, and slowly turns around. “Pride.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pride dips his head in acknowledgement. “I hope you’ll forgive the intrusion. I was simply curious as to where you were going for your expedition.” Without waiting for a response, he shuts the door and strides over to where Greed is sitting. “Up north, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed shuts his suitcase closed. “What’s it to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was curious!” Pride says. “I’ve never been anywhere but here, you know? But Father did agree to take me down to the southwestern region of Amestris, during the end of the year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He frowns. “Father has never traveled in his life. And aren’t you too young?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll bring some servants from the manor with me, it won’t be a problem. And Greed, you traveled when you were young, too. Compared to you, I’m sure I can handle myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if you say so.” Greed sighs. He fiddles with his suitcase a bit before standing up. “Now, I have a train to catch, so I’m going to have to kick you out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You still haven’t told me where you’re going, though?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Briggs,” Greed says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Briggs!” Pride exclaims. “That sounds so exciting! Will you be making a visit to the shrine once you arrive? I know I’m going to visit Nox’s shrine as soon as I’m able.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not… really that interested in the shrines,” Greed says weakly, avoiding his gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pride steps forward, backing him up against the wall. Greed wishes he could just push him away or knock him out and be done with it, but no matter how much Greed dislikes him, he’s still a kid, and Greed has some principles. “Why not?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They just don’t seem that interesting.” He shrugs. “I mean, it’s just a shrine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pride’s eyes sparkle. “But Greed,” he says, terrifying despite his tiny body, “haven’t you ever wanted to meet a god?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chills run down his spine. “Gods aren’t real,” he says instead of a proper response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gods, guardian spirits, whatever you want to call them,” Pride says with a wave of his hand. “A being of pure magic, more powerful than anything you’ve ever seen. Wouldn’t it be amazing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess,” Greed says. It’s true that he’s never seen anything like that before. “Aren’t you a little… young, though, for that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pride grips his hand suddenly, squeezing him in a death grip. “Am I?” he asks. “Could you look me in the eyes and say you could do better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Greed swallows, and wrestles his hands free. “Well, no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then you’ll have no problems with me traveling,” Pride hisses. “If someone like you sees it fit to stick your nose in every little thing, then I will have no problems doing the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, he’s off like a whirlwind, leaving Greed to massage his wrist and wonder just what he’s gotten himself into.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>